Carlos Alcaraz is not going to precisely be one of many favorites to win the Nitto ATP Finals. The younger Spanish champion nonetheless fails to specific his greatest tennis in indoor circumstances and was eradicated within the spherical of 16 on the Rolex Paris Masters final week, revealing nice difficulties of adaptation to the floor. Carlos has been included within the ‘John Newcombe group’ together with Sascha Zverev, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev, whereas within the ‘Ilie Nastase group’ there might be Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur.
It’s rumored that the floor of Turin is slower than final 12 months, however the 4-time Grand Slam champion will begin a bit of behind Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev. The German participant has overtaken the Spanish within the ATP rating due to his triumph at Paris-Bercy, which assured him to placed on the bulletin board the seventh Masters 1000 of his profession. The four-time Grand Slam champion desires to realize an ideal lead to an important occasion of the ATP calendar and he practiced laborious on the Ferrero Tennis Academy earlier than reaching Turin, the place he skilled at present with Zverev.
In 2022, Carlitos didn’t play the ATP Finals attributable to an belly damage suffered at Paris-Bercy, whereas final 12 months he reached the semi-finals with out expressing his greatest tennis. Final 12 months, the 21-year-old from Murcia had raised his stage as he handed by way of the matches however was actually smashed by Novak Djokovic within the semi-finals.
Corretja believes in Alcaraz
There aren’t any excessive expectations for Alcaraz on this version of the Nitto ATP Finals, so the Spaniard will be capable to play with much less strain than normal. The Finals could possibly be essential for the Spaniard to attempt to regain second place within the ATP rating. At current, there are 505 factors separating Sascha and Carlitos. The ATP Finals awarded 1500 factors, so Alcaraz has an opportunity to overhaul. Nevertheless – if Zverev had been to achieve the ultimate from unbeaten and acquire 1000 factors – he would you should definitely end 2024 in second place.
Throughout an interview with Eurosport earlier than the beginning of the ATP Finals, former ATP ace and prime analyst Alex Corretja mentioned Alcaraz’s possibilities in Turin: “Alcaraz goes to reach in nice type. He has gained some tournaments on quick courts, notably defeating Sinner within the last, which boosts his confidence. In Paris-Bercy, the courtroom was sooner than he prefers; within the Masters, every part is extensive open, and everybody arrives mentally exhausted. Carlos has realized from the previous, he might be a bit brisker than final season. I belief in him, he is a participant for giant moments, and the Masters is considered one of them.”
A tremendous season
Whatever the final result of the ATP Finals, 2024 was nonetheless stuffed with memorable moments for the Spanish champion. The 21-year-old from Murcia gained his second title in a row at Indian Wells throughout the spring, achieved the feat of profitable the French Open and Wimbledon in the identical 12 months and gained the silver medal on the Paris Olympics, Ceding solely to an ideal Djokovic within the last. The present world quantity 3 might have gotten a bit of extra within the Masters 1000 tournaments, the place he suffered some fairly unexplained defeats for a champion of his caliber.
In an interview with ‘Sky Sports activities Tennis’, former Australian ace Pat Money praised Carlitos for his enormous completeness: “He hasn’t acquired a weak spot. I nearly suppose he is among the greatest … one of the best participant I’ve ever seen on grass at his greatest. Ever seen and I’m speaking about ever seen.
As a result of he’s a younger man, he has taken one of the best of Rafa, one of the best of Federer and he has been in a position to adapt that. With out these nice gamers, he wouldn’t have had that, and he admits that. He mentioned with out Rafa ‘I wouldn’t be the place I’m’, however he has simply taken one of the best of every part and in some way on the age of 21 has put all of it collectively. I’ve by no means seen something like that.”
The previous world #1 nonetheless has room for enchancment to turn out to be the most effective gamers ever. Carlos desires to turn out to be much more constant throughout the season, in order to attempt to undermine the management of present world #1 Sinner. Their rivalry is a good incentive for each, because the Huge 3 did within the earlier period. Alcaraz and Sinner confronted one another 3 times in official matches in 2024, with the 21-year-old from Murcia all the time victorious. The Italian ace gained the ultimate of the ‘Six Kings Slam’ in Saudi Arabia, nevertheless it was solely an exhibition that isn’t counted in official statistics.
