Carlos Alcaraz avoided Novak Djokovic in the group stage draw as expected, but avoiding a premature clash with Jannik Sinner is an even bigger relief. Now placed in Group B, the World No. 2 will have to battle it out with Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Alexander Zverev. Even though he hasn't had much luck against this specific trio in the past, Alcaraz believes he can make a deep run in Turin if he can find his rhythm again.
Carlos Alcaraz was always going to dodge Novak Djokovic in the ATP Finals group stage draw, but he will be relieved to avoid an early clash with Italy’s Jannik Sinner. World No. 2 Alcaraz is in Group B with Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Alexander Zverev. While he has no winning record against any of those three opponents, the Spaniard will be hopeful of making progress in Turin if he can regain some of his best form.
The pressure is on after a bruising loss to Sinner in China last month—his most one-sided defeat of the season—which prompted the Wimbledon champion to concede that his game needs refining to compete with the Italian. While a semi-final matchup with Sinner is the earliest possible encounter in front of the home crowd, Alcaraz must first shake off a slump in form to survive his debut at the ATP Finals. It's been a rough road lately, including losses to Sinner and Grigor Dimitrov in China, and a shocking opening-round defeat to Roman Safiullin (World No. 45) at the Paris Masters.
Adding to the challenge, Alcaraz admitted he's dealing with some physical issues as the season winds down, having previously pulled out of the Basel tournament due to foot trouble. Speaking on his condition, the young Spaniard noted that while he wouldn't claim to be perfectly healthy, it's common for players to carry some bodily wear and tear after such a grueling year. He described his current state as being in some discomfort but mentioned that his recovery over the past few weeks has been relatively positive.
His physical struggles were evident after his upset loss to Safiullin in Paris. Following the match, he expressed frustration with his performance, stating that he simply didn't feel right on the court. While he felt the quality of his shots remained decent, he admitted that his movement was off and that there are plenty of areas in his game that need immediate practice and improvement.
Despite the setbacks, Alcaraz remains hopeful, noting that he has a window of time before the ATP Finals to train and regain his elite level of play. He is determined to figure out the solution and finish the year on a high note.