Carlos Alcaraz practiced with Roger Federer at the 2024 Shanghai Masters, and the Spaniard has spoken about the experience.
Alcaraz played two tournaments during the Asian swing on the ATP Tour. His results and performances at the events made headlines, but hitting with Federer also generated much attention,
The Spaniard won the China Open in Beijing, outlasting Jannik Sinner in the final after a brutal three-hour battle. It was a contender for the best final on the ATP Tour this year.
Alcaraz also played at the Shanghai Masters, which immediately followed. The 21-year-old started strongly and did not seem to be feeling any after-effects from his run to glory in Beijing.
However, Alcaraz's tournament in Shanghai ended after an outstanding performance from Tomas Machac in the semifinals. The Czech produced a level good enough to trouble any player in the world to defeat his illustrious opponent.
Rather than resting until the Paris Masters starts next week, the four-time Grand Slam champion appeared at the Six Kings Slam Exhibition in Saudi Arabia last week alongside Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune.
Alcaraz defeated his idol Nadal in the semifinals of the Six Kings Slam. It was their final singles meeting before the 22-time Grand Slam champion retires at the Davis Cup Finals next month, where he is likely to play doubles with Alcaraz.
Sinner avenged his defeat at the China Open by beating the four-time Grand Slam champion in the final of the Six Kings Slam, receiving the largest paycheck in tennis history of $6 million in the process.
In contrast to Alcaraz's busyness, Federer does not make many appearances at tennis tournaments, but he flew to the Shanghai Masters to play in a charity match at the event.
The eight-time Wimbledon champion was in the stands alongside Alcaraz for the final in Shanghai between Novak Djokovic and Sinner, which the Italian won in straight sets without facing a break point.
Before that, Federer and Alcaraz played a practice session together. In an interview with Central Court, the Spaniard said the experience was an honor and mentioned what they talked about without being too specific.
"It was a privilege. We talked about how I should approach my matches, my style of play, my life off the court. He told me a lot of things I’m going to keep for myself."
Federer was known for his smart scheduling and for taking care of himself throughout his career. That allowed the Swiss maestro to achieve impressive longevity, meaning advice on his life off the court could be very helpful to Alcaraz.
Some aspects of Alcaraz's style have been compared to Federer's, such as his shot-making and net game. Hence, advice on implementing his style will also be welcomed by the 21-year-old.
Federer was the biggest star in tennis before he retired. Alcaraz might be the next person to take that role after Nadal and Djokovic have retired, but whether that happens remains to be seen.
0 Comments