“I train and go to tournaments with one goal, to try to finish the year as number 1“. Carlos Alcaraz made it clear in his media appearance before his debut at the Shanghai Masters 1000 what his great goal is in the final stage of the season.
The Murcian He is nearly 3,000 points behind Novak Djokovic in the annual rankings, but the distance has narrowed to 580 in the Race.the 2023 classification, so that in the Chinese event he can knock out the Serbian.
For this he had to reach the final of a tournament he had never played before and where he will debut this Saturday (12:30 pm) against Gregoire Barrere.
The Frenchman, number 73 in the world ranking and who he has never faced, defeated the Portuguese Nuno Borges in the first round by 6-2 and 6-2. His best results this season were third rounds at the Miami and Rome Masters 1,000.
The numbers are much better this year for an Alcaraz who is also looking to Shanghai to get rid of the bad taste in his mouth it left. his loss in the semifinals of the Beijing tournament against Jannik Sinner.
The way in which he delivered the second set against the Italian (6-1) was not the best way to say goodbye to what will be his return to the courts after the US Open, but Alcaraz did not seem worried. “I will change my mistake in Beijing, I will be ready“he said in a press conference.
Unlike what happened in Beijing, in Shanghai, Alcaraz and Sinner will only meet in a hypothetical final. The draw allowed the Spaniard to avoid, in addition to Daniil Medvedev and the Italian, players of the caliber of Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev.
Who could not cross his path was Holger Runewho this Friday gave a new example of his formidable form after being overcome by Brandon Nakashima (6-0, 6-2) in just over an hour.
The only Spaniard who appeared in court this Friday also said goodbye to the tournament. Jaume Munar had almost no options against one of the sensations of the season, Ben Sheltonwho won 6-4, 6-4.
Source: La Verdad
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