Carlos Alcaraz is gearing up for the 2024 ATP Finals with a unique strategy. His coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, has set up a practice court with the same surface as the tournament.
Alcaraz started his indoor season at the Paris Masters, skipping Vienna and Basel events. He hoped to improve after last year’s early exit in Paris against Roman Safiullin.
In his first match at Paris Masters, Alcaraz defeated Nicolas Jarry 7-5, 6-1 by breaking Jarry’s serve five times. However, he found the court too slippery and much faster than before .
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇪🇸 Carlos Alcaraz | 21 | 68,791 | 25 - 5 |
Fans might wonder if this fast court will be a challenge or an advantage for him. Despite playing well, Ugo Humbert ended Alcaraz’s run with a thrilling win of 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 in front of an excited home crowd.
Preparing for Turin:
After losing to Humbert, Alcaraz expressed his frustration about the unexpected speed of the Paris courts. It was hard to prepare because it was different from previous years.
The ATP Finals in Turin have had quick courts recently but not as fast as this year’s Paris Masters. Players need careful preparation since tournaments can change each year.
Ferrero made sure Alcaraz could train on a similar surface by installing it at his tennis academy. The GreenSet Brand court will also be used at the Davis Cup Finals where Rafael Nadal plans to retire.
Both Ferrero and Alcaraz tested their new court setup in October and felt optimistic about its likeness to what they’ll face starting November 10th at the ATP Finals.
Having such resources is rare; not all players can request custom courts like this. Whether this gives Alcaraz an edge remains uncertain but he’s taking time off after another tough loss in Paris.
Do you think practicing on similar surfaces will give him an advantage?
