Carlos Alcaraz has already arrived in Turin as he looks to win his very first ATP Finals to cap off another successful season on tour.
Alcaraz arrives at the year-end tournament off the back of a strange defeat to Cameron Norrie at the Paris Masters, which the Spaniard is looking to make right in Italy.
The Spaniard has been drawn in a group alongside Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur in a tournament that can see him once again crowned world number one.
Alcaraz practiced with Jannik Sinner on the ATP Finals courts and he’s given his immediate reaction to the conditions.
Carlos Alcaraz shares his thoughts on the ATP Finals courts
Alcaraz has struggled with indoor conditions in the past, but the Turin courts are expected to be faster than those in Paris.
Speaking during his Turin press conference, Alcaraz was asked to compare the conditions between the ATP Finals and the Paris Masters.
Speaking to Marca, he replied: “It depends on what we’re talking about: the stadium, the atmosphere on the track, the track speed.
“I think Paris and Turin are quite similar, perhaps one is slower than the other, but that’s within the normal range. Both are very beautiful.”
The star was then asked about his issues with the Paris Masters courts, despite commending them before the tournament.
“My understanding of indoor tennis is that the courts are very fast. So when a court is slower than usual, it feels strange.
“It was a bit slower than normal, but it was a speed I liked and that suited my style. The problem is that I didn’t adapt properly in that match.”
Alcaraz needs to win two group games to ensure he holds off Sinner and becomes the world number one as the year ends.
Carlos Alcaraz’s indoor hardcourt record
The Spaniard has achieved an incredible amount so far in his career, but it’s clear that he struggles on indoor hardcourts.
The star has lost 14 times out of his 45 matches indoors, which is the worst surface record of his tennis career.
Alcaraz has only managed to win one indoor hard court title, which came earlier this year at the Rotterdam Open.
Alcaraz will need to try and adapt his game if he ever wants to win the ATP Finals. The star has struggled at the tournament in the past.
He was knocked out in the group stage last year, while his best-ever performance at the tournament was a semi-final appearance in 2023.
For a player as otherworldly as Alcaraz, that will be an incredibly difficult record for him to stomach.
