With Jannik Sinner sidelined by an intestinal virus, Carlos Alcaraz finds himself as the favorite to claim the Masters 1000 title in Paris-Bercy. But Alcaraz’s history with this tournament is far from smooth. The young Spaniard, who thrives in outdoor conditions, has often struggled to find his rhythm on the fast indoor courts of Paris, where his game hasn’t shined as brightly.
After clinching a hard-fought win over Nicolas Jarry, Alcaraz faces the challenge of adapting to what may be the fastest indoor court conditions of the last decade. Rumor has it that Paris-Bercy’s courts are even faster than the notorious Cincinnati surface, which saw Alcaraz’s early exit to Gael Monfils this summer. The Spaniard himself acknowledged the difficulty, stating, “It’s challenging for spectators to see long rallies on these surfaces. I need time to adjust, but I’m feeling good.”
The 21-year-old showed resilience in his opening-round match against Jarry, squeezing out a first-set win 7-5 despite early unforced errors. A few jitters aside, he admitted that winning the first set was critical, as it gave him a confidence boost heading into the second, which he ultimately took with more ease. “I’m just really happy to get through the opening set,” Alcaraz said, “It was really important to come into the second with more confidence.”
Alcaraz’s next opponent will be either French favorite Ugo Humbert or American Marcos Giron, but he’ll need to keep his energy up in this fast-paced tournament if he wants to make a deep run. Despite Paris-Bercy being a historically tough event for Alcaraz—he hasn’t won back-to-back matches here in the past two years—he’s in excellent form overall. His 2024 season highlights include two Grand Slam titles, making history as the youngest player to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year. He’s also claimed the Indian Wells Masters 1000 for the second consecutive time and secured a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, a standout feat despite his heartbreaking loss to Novak Djokovic in the final.
After that Olympic defeat, Alcaraz’s energy took a hit in the Cincinnati and US Open tournaments. Still, he bounced back with a stellar ATP 500 title run in Beijing, where he showcased dominant form against none other than Sinner in the final. However, he took a minor stumble in Shanghai, falling to Tomas Machac. Soon after, he flew to Saudi Arabia for the Six Kings Slam exhibition, sparking criticism for its hefty prize money but delivering notable performances against Holger Rune, Rafael Nadal, and eventually losing to Sinner in the final.
With Alcaraz laser-focused and hungry to break his Paris-Bercy slump, fans are on edge to see if the young Spaniard can finally conquer his indoor demons. Will this be the year he overcomes his past challenges and solidifies his standing as one of the most versatile players in the game? All eyes are on Alcaraz as he charges forward, determined to close out the season in style.
