“I had really tough moments”: Carlos Alcaraz makes honest admission after emotional Paris victory
ATP
Carlos Alcaraz ended his Paris Masters campaign with another major title, defeating Ben Shelton 7-6, 7-5 to claim his ninth ATP Masters 1000 crown. However, the Spaniard's post-match reaction offered a different perspective on his achievement, as he opened up about the mental challenges he faced throughout the tournament.
The World No. 3 had to save match points against Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals before completing his run to the title. The victory over Shelton also continued an impressive return from injury, with Alcaraz winning 19 of his 21 matches since coming back to competition.
Despite his recent success in Tokyo, Vienna and Paris, Alcaraz identified his mental progress as one of the most important aspects of his latest performances.
He also reflected on the career goals still ahead of him, particularly the ATP Finals, which remains a major title missing from his collection.
Alcaraz opens up on mental struggles after Paris Masters triumph
Asked whether Paris had been his best tournament since returning, Alcaraz highlighted the progress he had made mentally rather than focusing exclusively on his tennis.
"I had a lot of really tough moments. I'm not saying match point down, but during the matches I've faced important and really tough moments internally," he said in press conference. "Fighting with myself, trying to be positive, trying to stay strong mentally and not letting those negative thoughts get into the game.
"I'm just really happy that I managed to control my emotions and control my thoughts in every moment, every single match. For me, I made one step forward in that regard."
His quarter-final against Fritz proved particularly important. After escaping defeat, Alcaraz took a lesson from the experience and recognised what he needed to change in the toughest moments.
"What I realised is that I really have to go for it all the time. I need to have the determination to go for it, even more so in the toughest moments. I'm just happy that I saved that moment against Taylor."
Alcaraz also described the last two weeks as probably the best tennis he has played since his comeback, comparing his recent level with his performances in Vienna.
Alcaraz admits uncertainty over major career ambition
With the ATP Finals approaching, Alcaraz was asked how important it would be to finally win the season-ending tournament. Having already completed the career Grand Slam, the Spaniard acknowledged that the competition remains one of his biggest ambitions.
"This is a tournament that I really want to win one day. I don't know if it's going to be this year, next year, or if I'm ever going to be able to win this tournament. But I'm going to work hard. I'm going to believe that I can do that."
The World No. 3 will travel to Turin with confidence after his latest title, although he refused to consider himself the favourite for the competition.
"To be honest, that's not in my hands, and I don't really want to take that into my hands. I'm not thinking about it. I'm just going there, playing my tennis, trying to enjoy it and trying to play good tennis. I'm going to leave it to the people if they see me as a favourite or not."
Alcaraz explains how four-and-a-half-month break helped him
Alcaraz also reflected on the period away from competition following his injury, explaining how spending time with his family and reducing the physical demands of the tour helped him approach the final stretch of the season.
"Four and a half months, we've been doing things, we've been training, but we've been at home with my people, with my family," the 7-time Grand Slam champion added. "We've done other kinds of things that have filled me up. And obviously I haven't put my body in a stressful situation for a long time, like I would have played everything, basically."
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He believes that period was important in helping him return with renewed motivation and reach the final tournaments of the season in better condition. "Having those four and a half months away has helped me a lot to get to this part of the season fresh, with ambition, with desire, with the desire to go to training, with the desire to improve."
Alcaraz will now turn his attention to the ATP Finals, which takes place in Turin from November 15-22, as he looks to add another significant title to his collection.
"Obviously, the ATP Finals is the best eight players in the world. It is a really important tournament for everybody. That's what we are working for," the Spaniard added. "We're trying to start the year as well as we can and play our best throughout the whole year to qualify for that tournament. That gives us extra motivation and extra energy when we arrive there."
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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