“I never doubted my level”: Carlos Alcaraz reflects on narrow ATP Finals loss to Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz left Turin with his head held high after a fiercely contested ATP Finals championship match in which he pushed Jannik Sinner to the limit. The World No. 1 fell 7–6(4), 7–5, but showed a level of indoor tennis that reinforced his growing confidence on the surface.

Despite the loss, during press conference Alcaraz underlined that his belief never wavered. He reiterated that he had no hesitation about his indoor level, emphasising his conviction before and after the semifinal that he could go all the way. “I never doubted about my level on indoor court,” he said, explaining that being close to Sinner was no surprise. “I didn’t doubt that I could play and fight toe-to-toe with Jannik indoors. I thought at the beginning of the match, and I thought right after yesterday’s match, that I could beat him”

The Spaniard also recognised the improvements in Sinner’s game since their last major encounters. He acknowledged the Italian’s capacity to bounce back stronger after setbacks, particularly praising the evolution of Sinner’s serve. “A player like him always comes back stronger from the losses,” the 6-time major champion explained. “He always learns from the losses, and once again he has shown everybody that he did it — especially with the serve, putting so much pressure on you. It’s really difficult to play against him, obviously.”

Even after feeling discomfort in his hamstring during the first set, Alcaraz made it clear that he refused to use the issue as an excuse. He explained that he could run and compete effectively, even if the injury produced occasional doubts about pushing his body to the limit. “I could play really good tennis with it and the loss is because he deserved it,” he stressed, shutting down any speculation that physical issues determined the outcome.

Once the match ended, Alcaraz and his team immediately turned their attention to analysing the small margins that separated victory from defeat. He explained that reviewing such tight matches involves combining his on-court sensations with the external observations of Juan Carlos Ferrero and the rest of the team. “We’re going to put all our feelings on the table,” he said. “I will tell them how I felt on court, what I did wrong or what I think I did wrong, and they will tell me how they saw the match — my weaknesses, my strengths, the good things — and we’ll try to be better in those areas.”

Alcaraz highlighted several key moments that lingered in his mind after the loss. Missing a set point in the opener, a handful of backhand volleys in the second set, and a costly service game at 30–15 were all situations he identified as pivotal. In his words, “I didn’t take the opportunities he gave me,” particularly emphasising the high-risk, high-pace second serves Sinner delivered during crucial stages.

Tactically, he made conscious decisions during the match to increase aggression and move forward more frequently—choices unrelated to the minor hamstring issue. “I felt I had to do something else,” the world No. 1 explained. “I’m trying to be as aggressive as I can in every match, but especially against Jannik — every time I can, I try to go forward.”

The atmosphere in Turin also became part of the post-match reflection. Alcaraz insisted that the partisanship of the crowd did not negatively affect him, even if most spectators favoured Sinner. “I think he deserved that energy from the crowd. And I haven’t talked too much about this, but the most difficult match I’ve ever played with the crowd was Paris-Bercy 2021. I will never forget it in my whole life because it was a turning point. I grew up a lot from that match. That one was the most difficult crowd I’ve ever played with.”

Looking ahead, Alcaraz confirmed that he will travel to Bologna for the Davis Cup Finals, where Spain will look to contend for the title.”I’m really happy with my level and performance — because I didn’t do many things wrong, which is great. And yes, for the Davis Cup — I’m heading off to Bologna tomorrow.”