Jannik Sinner is a smart guy. Or a hell of a marabout. Tuesday afternoon, at the Rolex Paris Masters, the Italian came to assure the press that he had given up on being world No. 1 at the end of the season. “It is no longer in my hands,” summed up the Transalpine, even if mathematically the matter was not yet settled.
And now a few hours later, Carlos Alcaraz, master of the tennis world since his victory at the US Open at the beginning of September, tripped himself in the green Greenset as soon as he entered the fray at Paris La Défense Arena against Cameron Norrie (4-6, 6-3, 6-4). Confirming the curse that seems to fall on him as soon as he shows up in the capital in the fall where he painfully reached a quarter-final in 2022.
Juan Carlos Ferrero’s protégé, however, had made nine finals since April before arriving in Paris… “I’m doing everything wrong” he even told his coach on the court between anger and frustration to sum up his catastrophic performance.
“I don’t know what happened”
“I don’t really know how to explain it,” he admitted afterwards. I had energy, felt like I could play. I felt great this season physically and mentally. I don’t know what happened here, but it’s definitely a tournament where I’m having trouble playing well. »
If some players manage to keep an impassive mask in all circumstances, we can read Alcaraz’s face like an open book. And everyone saw that he seemed everywhere except at Central on Tuesday evening… “I don’t even know the last time I played a match like that,” he almost marvels. It must have happened, but it wasn’t this year anyway. Maybe one of last year’s games, that’s for sure. But I don’t even know which one. »
“I’ll end up playing well here, that’s for sure.”
However, as Alexander Zverev likes to joke, who criticizes the circuit organizers for choosing the best surface to achieve a Sinner-Alcaraz final, the conditions were ripe to see the hero of the last Roland-Garros achieve a double in Paris like Djokovic in 2021 and 2023.
“The court is slower,” he observed last Saturday. You can actually see real tennis being played, it’s not just about serving. We can develop our game, see longer rallies. I love playing here. We’ll see how it goes…” Alcaraz had not played – officially – since his victory in Tokyo in September despite a sprain.
Which did not prevent him from going to grow his bank account in Saudi Arabia during a more than lucrative exhibition where he was beaten in the final by Sinner. A rival to whom he has perhaps just offered the most coveted ATP chair on a silver platter.
If the native of South Tyrol, who will make his debut this Wednesday afternoon against the Belgian Bergs, lifts on Sunday for the first time the tree which serves as a trophy at the Masters 1000 in Ile-de-France, he will regain the place lost two months ago the next day. Through the subtle game of a sliding ranking over a calendar year, he will then lose it again when the points collected last year at the Masters, which he won in Turin ahead of Fritz, are taken away.
But if, for example, he is flawless in the 2025 edition in Piedmont (November 9 to 16) and his best enemy does not win at least three matches there or if he loses once in the group and Alcaraz does not win more than one match (only one victory in the group in 2024)… Then the Murcian will then be able to bite his fingers from his express return trip to Hauts-de-Seine.
“I will prepare as well as possible,” he assures. There is also the Davis Cup (which he will play unlike Sinner after the Masters). I want to go home, train and see what happens. Paris is a tournament that is difficult for me but I will get there. I will end up playing well here, that’s for sure…”
