Alcaraz, without half a step before the ATP Finals: “I came here to win”

Carlos Alcaraz21 years old and world No. 3, is ambitious about his participation in the upcoming ATP Finals in Turin (Italy) who will decide in the coming days the title of tennis ‘master’ among the eight best players of the season.

The Murcian, who trained this Friday with Daniel Medvedevcame into the tournament with a record of 52 wins, 11 losses and four titles, two of them from Grand Slam (Roland Garros, Wimbledon) to raise his tally of ‘majors’ to four at the age of just 21: he opened his account at US Open 2022 and he also reigned last year at Wimbledon. In Games in Paris won Olympic silver after a spectacular final match Novak Djokovic.

“It’s impossible to rate the season with 10 because you can always improve, but it was an incredible year, I would say 8.5 and 9. It could have been better in the gold medal or in other tournaments, but to say I’m 8.5” Alcaraz said at the Media Day organized in Theater of Carignano of Turin.

“I learned a lot this year. I know myself better as a person and player, what I need to do, on and off the court. Some losses this year hurt. Not only a goal on the court, but also what you have to do on your free days, a few days before the tournaments, before starting to prepare as much as possible,” added the Murcian, without half measures when calibrate his choices to the Masters.

“I came here with the objective of winning. I want to put this trophy alongside the others and it is a good objective. I play against the best players in the world, so I have to give my best,” said Alcaraz.

“Last year was a difficult end of the year for me. I couldn’t play at my best level. The last two games here were pretty good but in the last two and in the three tournaments I didn’t play at my best level, so I realized that I had to change a little at the time of the year, like I did today,” explained Carlos .

“I used to be a little different. I approached this tournament a little differently, I knew there were things I needed to change to have a good result here and away. Last year I didn’t start well in the first matches, but today I will try to play good tennis. I come here with a lot of motivation,” insisted the Spanish tennis player.

“When I smile on the court, I show my best tennis, my best shots. I try to play solid but aggressive and I have to do it perfectly if I want to lift the trophy,” said Murcian, who -debut on Monday (2:00 pm) against Norwegian Casper Ruudthat he won his four previous matches.

Carlos is evenly balanced against his two other group rivals John Newcombe, the German Alexander Zverev (5-5) and the Russian Andrey Rublev (1-1). Alcaraz and Zverev, two-time Masters champions (2018, 2021), are the favorites to advance to the semifinals, as is the Italian. Jannik Sinner in the Ilie Nastase group.

Daniel Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Alex De Minaur They will be the rivals of the world number 1 and local idol, who will try to crown himself as the ‘master’ of tennis in front of his fans. Sinner lost in last year’s final against Novak Djokovic, the big absentee in this edition and champion of the last two years for an all-time record seven titles.

ATP Finals in Turin

(November 10-17)

SUNDAY DAY 10
11:30 a.m.:
Koolhof/Mektic-Purcell/Thompson
Not before 2:00 pm:
Medvedev-Fritz
Not before 6:00 pm:
​Granollers/Zeballos-Heliovaara/Patten
Not before 8:30 pm:
Sinner-De Minaur
The
TheMONDAY THE 11TH
11:30 a.m.:
​Arévalo/Pavic-Krawietz/Puetz
Not before 2:00 pm:
Alcaraz-Ruud
Not before 6:00 pm:
Bolelli/Vavassori-Bopanna/Ebden
Not before 8:30 pm:
Zverev-Rublev