Carlos Alcaraz installs replica of ATP Finals surface at coach Juan Carlos Ferrero's academy after bemoaning "fast" courts at Paris Masters: Reports
Carlos Alcaraz has taken a decisive step to ensure that he is well-prepared for the 2024 ATP Finals after his shock exit from the Paris Masters. The Spaniard is aiming to adapt to the anticipated fast-paced conditions after being open about his frustration regarding the speed of the court at the Masters 1000 event.
After Jannik Sinner's withdrawal from the Paris Masters, Alcaraz was considered the clear favorite to clinch the title. Although the Spaniard made a strong start to his campaign with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Nicolas Jarry, he raised complaints about the "very slippery" and "fast" conditions, expressing his belief that "slower courts" would've made for more exciting tennis.
The 21-year-old then faced home favorite Ugo Humbert in the third round, suffering a shock 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 loss to the Frenchman. Speaking to the press after his exit, Carlos Alcaraz reiterated his complaints about the "difficult" conditions, disclosing that the courts he had trained on in Spain were not as fast as those at the Paris Masters.
"I mean, it is very difficult to play in these conditions. For me, for my level, I try to change up as much as I can to this court, to this speed. I thought that it suits pretty well to my game, but it doesn't," Carlos Alcaraz said.
"You know, I practice, you know, at home but it isn't the same court that I thought, you know, that the speed to this court is going to be play the ball. But for me, it doesn't. So I didn't surprise about my level, about my game, but I surprise about, you know, everything a little bit," he added.
Given that the ATP Finals, scheduled to take place from November 10-17, will be held on indoor hard courts similar to the Paris Masters, Alcaraz has made a conscious effort to adapt to the fast-paced conditions.
According to reports from the Spanish publication Marca, the 21-year-old and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero have installed a replica of the ATP Finals surface at the Ferrero Tennis Academy in Alicante. The four-time Grand Slam champion has begun preparing on the surface to ensure that he will be well-equipped to handle the courts in Turin and to avoid any surprises like those he faced in Paris.
This move serves an additional purpose, as the same GreenSet brand surface will also be used at the upcoming Davis Cup Finals, where Carlos Alcaraz will join Rafael Nadal and Team Spain in their quarterfinal clash against the Netherlands.
Carlos Alcaraz on experiencing 'fastest court on tour' at Paris Masters: "I don't know why they have changed a lot"
Despite his shock exit from the Paris Masters, Carlos Alcaraz dismissed the notion that indoor courts posed a problem for his game, asserting that his issue was specific to this tournament as the ATP served up the "fastest court in the last 10 years" at the Masters 1000 event.
"Well, not indoor courts. This court. I mean, I don't want to say something that there is going to sounds an excuse," Carlos Alcaraz said in the same press conference.
"So, I mean, when I play the first match, you know, the stats came out that it is the fastest court in the Masters 1000, probably on the tour right now. This is crazy. I don't know. Probably and the fastest one, you know, in the last ten years in this tournament," he added.
Alcaraz also raised complaints about the drastic changes made to the court's pace compared to other tournaments, expressing his confusion over the organizers' decision to implement such a major transformation.
"So I don't know why they do it. I don't know why they have changed a lot, you know, a court from other tournaments and obviously in the same tournament, you know, comparing to other years," he said.
Carlos Alcaraz will be on the hunt for his maiden ATP Finals title during his campaign in Turin, facing formidable competition from the likes of Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, and Taylor Fritz.