Alcaraz fresh and fired up in Paris: 'This year is totally different'

Paris

Alcaraz fresh and fired up in Paris: 'This year is totally different'

World No. 1, out of action for more than three weeks, previews Paris bid

Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

Carlos Alcaraz address the media on Saturday at the Rolex Paris Masters. By Jerome Coombe

Carlos Alcaraz has yet to lift the trophy at the Rolex Paris Masters, but the World No. 1 believes this year could be the turning point.

After being forced to withdraw from Shanghai and taking more than three weeks off to heal his left ankle, Alcaraz arrives in Paris feeling refreshed — and, by his own admission, in better shape than ever at this stage of the season.

“Obviously I didn't want to withdraw from Shanghai. It's a really important tournament for me and for the players,” Alcaraz said in his pre-tournament press conference on Saturday in Paris. “But I had to heal my body, and I think I wasn't ready to play another tournament in a row. So I just preferred to come back home, recover the ankle, and try to be in good shape for this time of the year.

“I think we could see last year, two years ago, that I'm not coming fresh to this time of the year. So I really wanted to put more attention on that, being in good shape, practising well, and coming here, thinking that I can do a really good result. So right now, physically I'm feeling good. I just practised well, hitting the ball really well.”

Alcaraz owns a 5-4 record in Paris, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, with his best result a quarter-final finish in 2022, when he fell to eventual champion Holger Rune. While indoor courts have traditionally posed a challenge, the 22-year-old Spaniard made a breakthrough earlier this year by capturing his first indoor title in Rotterdam.

This week, players have noticed the court speed at the new venue — La Défense Arena — has slowed, a change Alcaraz welcomes.

“This year is totally different than last year. I think it is a huge difference, which I like,” Alcaraz said with a smile. “The speed of the court is much slower than last year, but I think it is a really good speed that we can see tennis, not only serve and serve plus one; you can see rallies, you can see points, you can see tennis.

“I've said many times that I like slower courts, not that fast. This tournament is not my best one in terms of results, but I love playing here. I'm not really used to playing indoors, but year after year, I think I'm getting more used to it. So we will see this year. Hopefully [I] go farther than previous years.”

Alcaraz opens his campaign against either Cameron Norrie or Sebastian Baez and could face Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals. Already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals, he is aiming to strengthen his push to reclaim ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours for the second time.

Alcaraz leads rival Jannik Sinner, who faces Alexander Zverev in the Vienna final on Sunday, by more than 2,000 points in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. Alcaraz and Sinner have met in the final of the past five tournaments in which they have both featured.

As for his form indoors, Alcaraz remains realistic but optimistic.

“I wouldn't say I'm bad [at] playing indoors. I think other players are better than me indoors,” added Alcaraz. “It's a huge difference saying that. I see myself practising, playing matches that I can play really good tennis.

“But obviously there are some matches that I played against some that are playing much, much better indoors than I do. So I have to be ready for that, but I think I will get good tennis on indoor [courts].”

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