Alcaraz Stumbles in Paris, Faces Questions After Conflicting Court Speed Comments
PARIS - carlos Alcaraz suffered a surprising defeat in Paris, culminating in a performance he deemed the second-worst of the season, following a similar early exit in Miami against David Goffin. The loss comes after Alcaraz recently stated a preference for slower court speeds,a sentiment seemingly contradicted by his on-court complaints during the Paris match that the conditions were “worse than Monte Carlo.”
The world number two struggled with 54 unforced errors, leading to criticism from tennis analyst Jim Courier, who remarked, “I don’t get it, he played in ’kamikaze’ mode. He made 54 unforced errors, it’s like he basically gave up two whole sets.” Alcaraz himself acknowledged a strategic misstep,stating,”I practiced a lot here,and I felt good about it,but from the second set,when I tried to play better,the exact opposite happened. I probably chose a completely wrong strategy.”
Prior to his disappointing performance, Alcaraz was observed joking with Jiří Lehečka during training. Despite the lighthearted moment, the spaniard’s form quickly deteriorated during the match.
Alcaraz now shifts his focus to the Tournament of Champions in Turin and the Davis Cup, with the latter holding particular interest for Czech fans, as the Czech Republic, led by Tomas Berdych, is scheduled to face Spain on November 20.
The WTA Finals, featuring barbora Krejčíková, Tomáš Berdych, Tereza Valentová, and Kateřina Siniaková, will be broadcast live on CANAL+ Sport 2 from November 1 to 8.
