Alcaraz Admits To 'Struggling' Physically Despite ATP Finals Win Over Rublev

Carlos Alcaraz battled to a victory against Andrey Rublev in his last match at the 2024 ATP Finals, but the Spaniard did not hide that he is still physically struggling.

Alcaraz's preparation before the ATP Finals in Turin seemed ideal. His coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, installed a court similar to the one used for the tournament at his academy in Spain.

However, Alcaraz picked up an illness in his home country before flying to Italy. The 21-year-old did not think the issue was too bad at first, but it began to hamper him more in practice sessions closer to the tournament.

Casper Ruud defeated the sick Alcaraz 6-1, 7-5 on Monday at the ATP Finals. Although the Norwegian played well, his usually electric opponent visibly struggled with the illness throughout.

Worrying scenes followed on Tuesday when Alcaraz cut a practice session short after ten minutes because of how he felt. The four-time Grand Slam champion also did not hit with much intensity during that brief period.

However, Alcaraz showed his resilience by taking to the court against Rublev after resisting the temptation to withdraw from the match or even the tournament. He was rewarded with a 6-3, 7-6 triumph over the 2022 semifinalist at the event.

Although Alcaraz was not at his best, and Rublev may feel that he missed an opportunity, the world No. 3 played much better than his previous match against Ruud, which might give him a lot of confidence.

That improved performance does not mean Alcaraz is fit and healthy, though. Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis after beating Rublev, the Spaniard admitted he was still struggling, and that would likely remain the case for at least the next day.

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Alcaraz will play Alexander Zverev in his final round-robin match on Friday. The German defeated the two-time Wimbledon winner in the round-robin stage last year after a thrilling three-set battle.

However, Alcaraz got his revenge by beating Zverev in this year's French Open final after a five-set match, meaning the 27-year-old is still waiting for his first Grand Slam title after losing in the 2020 US Open final.

Although overcoming someone as good as Rublev while sick was a great achievement, the young star almost certainly needs to be fully healthy to overcome Zverev. The recent Paris Masters champion has been playing great indoor tennis recently.

By contrast, Alcaraz still needs to prove he can play just as well on indoor and outdoor courts. None of his 21 ATP Finals have come at tournaments held indoors. His best effort was reaching last year's ATP Finals semifinal.

But Alcaraz is convinced he can improve his indoor game once he gets more experience in those conditions.

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