Does Alcaraz have something to prove in Turin?
pAged just 21, a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carlos-alcaraz/a0e2/overview'Carlos Alcaraz/a is already a four-time major winner and a five-time ATP Masters 1000 champion. The Spaniard has spent 36 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings and clinched the silver medal at the a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/archive/paris/96/2024/results'Paris Olympics/a in July./p
pHowever, when it comes to the a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/nitto-atp-finals/605/overview'Nitto ATP Finals/a, Alcaraz feels he has a point to prove. The 21-year-old missed the 2022 event due to injury before he lost in straight sets to record seven-time champion a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/novak-djokovic/d643/overview'Novak Djokovic/a in the semi-finals on debut last year./p
pldquo;Last year was a difficult end of the year for me,rdquo; Alcaraz said on Thursday in Turin ahead of the prestigious year-end event. ldquo;I could not play at my best. The last two matches here were pretty good matches for me but the previous two, three tournaments I didnrsquo;t play at my best, so I realised I had to change a little bit at this time of the year, which I did this year./p
pldquo;I come here a little bit different. I approach this tournament a little differently, knowing there are things I have to change if I am to have a good result here and go far. Last year I didnrsquo;t start well from the first matches. I will try to play the same level and will try to play good tennis. I am coming here with a lot of motivation.rdquo;/p
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pAlcaraz sealed his spot at the a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/nitto-atp-finals/605/overview'Nitto ATP Finals/a in September after enjoying another impressive season on Tour. The No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings lifted majors at a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/roland-garros/520/overview'Roland Garros/a and a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/wimbledon/540/overview'Wimbledon/a and won titles on hard courts in Indian Wells and Beijing./p
pForever seeking improvement, the Spaniard reflected on 2024 ahead of his final event of the year./p
pldquo;It is impossible to rate it 10 out of 10 as you can always be better but it was a really amazing year for me,rdquo; Alcaraz said. ldquo;I would say eight and a half or nine. It could have been better with the gold medal or other tournaments but I would say 8.5./p
pldquo;I learned a lot this year. I know myself more as a person and a player: what I need to do, what I need, on and off the court. Some of my losses this year were really painful for me: what I have to do, to train on days off. It is not only a goal on the court but also what you have to do on days off: how many days to take before going to the tournament, before it starts to prepare as best."/p
p /
pAlcaraz arrived in Turin at the start of the week in preparation for his campaign, which commences on Monday afternoon against a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/casper-ruud/rh16/overview'Casper Ruud/a in Inalpi Arena. The former a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/next-gen-atp-finals/7696/overview'Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF/a champion is in The a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/john-newcombe/n044/overview'John Newcombe/a Group alongside a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/alexander-zverev/z355/overview'Alexander Zverev/a, Ruud and a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/andrey-rublev/re44/overview'Andrey Rublev/a./p
pAlcaraz is level at 5-5 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Zverev, having won two of their three meetings this year. The Spaniard knows he will be in for a battle when he takes on the two-time a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/nitto-atp-finals/605/overview'Nitto ATP Finals/a champion, who clinched his seventh ATP Masters 1000 crown last week in Paris./p
pldquo;He is one of the toughest players in the world for sure,rdquo; Alcaraz said on Zverev. ldquo;I think I return pretty well but he has a really big serve and plays unbelievable from the baseline, which makes him a really tough opponent to face./p
pldquo;He has won more than 20 ATP Tour titles, lots of Masters titles. He wants a Grand Slam and I told him he is going to get it for sure. At the end of his career he will get at least one, let's see if more. He deserves it. He is a really hard worker. He has lifted the big trophies. I donrsquo;t like to face him because of his serves and shots, but I am trying to find the beauty of playing him.rdquo;/p
pimg alt="a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/alexander-zverev/z355/overview'Alexander Zverev/a/a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carlos-alcaraz/a0e2/overview'Carlos Alcaraz/a" src="/-/media/images/news/2024/11/07/22/14/theatre-turin-2024-media-day.jpg" style="width: 100%;" /br /
emsubsupPhoto Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour/sup/sub/em/p
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