Juan Carlos Ferrero makes rare decision to help Carlos Alcaraz win the ATP Finals in Turin
Carlos Alcaraz has criticized the tournament directors in Paris Masters for the quality of surface after losing to Ugo Humbert.
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Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero (via Imago)
Former World No. 1 and Carlos Alcaraz‘s coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, has developed a special strategy to help the World No. 2 adapt to the indoor surfaces in Turin. The ATP Finals are set to take place next week in the Italian city, having moved there from London in 2021.
According to Marca, Ferrero has instructed the Ferrero Tennis Academy to install the same surface used at the ATP Finals in Turin. Alcaraz will train on this surface at the academy before heading to Italy for the season finale.
In recent months, Alcaraz has voiced his opinions on various tennis topics. One of his concerns was the quality of the surface at the Paris Masters, where he lost in the Round of 16 to Ugo Humbert. He criticized the tournament organizers for creating a surface that was too fast for his style of play.
Alcaraz has qualified for the ATP Finals for the third time in his career. He missed the event in 2022 due to injury but still ended the season as World No. 1. In 2023, he reached the semi-finals, where Novak Djokovic defeated him.
Carlos Alcaraz stays defiant despite Paris Masters defeat
Carlos Alcaraz is no stranger to success in Spain, having won four titles in ATP Tour events there. But on Thursday at the Rolex Paris Masters, the World No. 2 experienced what it’s like to face an opponent feeding off a home crowd’s energy. Playing in front of an excited French audience, Ugo Humbert proved to be a tough challenge.
I think I could play better. I think that’s obvious. But with the level that I had today, I think I compete, I gave everything. I fought until the last point. I have to congratulate Ugo. I think his performance has been really high. The way he hits the ball is unbelievable. It’s amazing. I think every time that he plays against me, I feel like he increases his level. He plays a really high level of tennis. I think in Paris even more so. So congratulations to him, and good luck.
Carlos Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference
Alcaraz admitted that the fast conditions in Paris-Bercy are not his favorite. However, he noted that these conditions only matter when an opponent can take advantage of them. Humbert did just that, delivering precise and powerful shots that kept Alcaraz on the back foot from the very start of the match.
Their third Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting was thrilling to watch. Humbert’s aggressive play and Alcaraz’s attempts to keep up made for a gripping encounter. The on-court action was intense, but the excitement off the court was just as electric.
The French crowd created a lively atmosphere from beginning to end. Although most of the support was for Humbert, Alcaraz had nothing but respect for the fans. He praised them for their passion and energy in the match.
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Fahad Hamid
(624 Articles Published)