'By The Far The Most Explosive Guy On Tour': Corretja Heaps Praise On Alcaraz

Monday, 13 November 2023 at 21:30

byNurein Ahmed

Ahead of Carlos Alcaraz's ATP Finals debut, Alex Corretja showered his countryman with praise calling him "the most explosive guy on tour" due to his unmatched power game.

Alcaraz's campaign in Turin started on the wrong foot, losing to two-time champion Alexander Zverev in three sets. The defeat extends Alcaraz's worst spell of results this season and Corretja was equally honest in his assessment of Alcaraz's low point this season.

The 49-year-old believes Alcaraz was physically drained and "mentally fell apart" after the 2023 US Open in which his title defense came to a halt in the semifinal against Daniil Medvedev. Since then, he has lost a semifinal in Beijing, the round of 16 in Shanghai, and the second round in Paris-Bercy.

Monday's collapse to Zverev was his third loss on the trot which gives Corretja's view of Alcaraz's slump more water. Nevertheless, it has been a season above and beyond anyone's expectation, winning a second Grand Slam at Wimbledon according to Corretja who spoke on Eurosport.

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"Carlitos has had an incredible season. He gave it his all during the clay court season, and then finished it off incredibly well at Wimbledon, also winning at Queen's. I think that was the high point for him. I think that Cincy's final against Djokovic, in which he gave everything and ended up losing, hurt him a little in the sense that he tried his hardest and didn't get the reward."

"And then in the US Open semi-finals, he was a little surprised by the way Daniil played against him. And from there I think he definitely fell apart a little bit mentally. Physically... I didn't see him enjoying himself much on the court."

After taking ample rest time and taking preventative measures against his recent back and foot injuries, the two-time Roland Garros finalist is convinced by Alcaraz's tennis abilities and fancies him to do well on the indoor hard courts of Turin.

Despite his limited experience in the fast conditions under the roof, and up against players with significantly high levels of prowess there, Corretja claimed Alcaraz is bundled with a powerful game that trumps the rest of the field.

"I think the summer was too demanding for him and it was difficult for him to deal with all the expectations and all the motivation for him to maybe finish the number he knows it was a high expectation, but nothing is wrong with Carlitos."

"Carlitos is great. He may have a good Masters, although probably the surface and conditions are a little more suited to the other players, but Carlitos, we always have to count on him because when he is ready, he is by far the most explosive guy on the circuit."