Carlos Alcaraz has improved in many aspects this season, which he himself has defined as the best of his young career. The current world No. 1 has learned to win even when he can't play his best tennis and has finally found that regularity that had been his main weakness in previous years, dethroning his huge rival Jannik Sinner and returning to the top of the ATP rankings after the US Open.
The 22-year-old from Murcia who has not played an official match for about a month having missed the Shanghai Masters 1000 to recover from the ankle injury suffered in Tokyo will now have to prove that he has improved even in indoor conditions, where his game tends to become less effective due to a number of factors.
Alcaraz debuts in Paris
The six-time Grand Slam champion admitted that he needs more time than other players to get used to these conditions and it is for this reason that it will be very interesting to test his level at the Paris Masters 1000 scheduled for this week. The Spanish star who won his first indoor title in Rotterdam in the early part of 2025 will make his debut at the 'Dfense Arena' against British ace Cameron Norrie today in a night session and will immediately be a useful test to assess his shape.
The fact that Carlitos struggles more to express his potential in indoor conditions is also certified by the numbers, given that he has obtained 'only' 70.5% of victories in these specific conditions with an overall record of 31 wins and 13 losses in his career.
The final Masters 1000 of the season will also be important for the Race for the top position in the ATP rankings, as Sinner has a chance to overtake his main rival before the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin if he triumphs in the French capital (and Carlos does not reach at least the quarterfinals). However, the 24-year-old from Sesto Pusteria will have to defend his title at the Finals in less than two weeks.
