Carlos Alcaraz faced an unexpected, challenging start at the ATP Finals in Turin, as his hopes of victory were dashed by Casper Ruud in two sets, 6-1, 7-5. The Norwegian, ranked No. 7 in the world, capitalized on Alcaraz’s struggles, delivering a solid, composed performance on the fast surface of the Inalpi Arena. More than Ruud’s skill, however, it was Alcaraz himself who shaped the outcome of the match: the young talent showed inconsistency, racking up 34 unforced errors—twice as many as his opponent.
This match was merely the latest in a series of setbacks for Alcaraz in the second half of the year. Following the disappointment of narrowly missing Olympic gold in a tense showdown against Djokovic, the young Spaniard suffered losses to lower-ranked players like Monfils, van de Zandschulp, Machac, and Humbert. His only recent triumph came in Beijing, where he beat Sinner in the final. Today, though, Alcaraz only occasionally displayed the grit and focus necessary for a tournament of the ATP Finals’ caliber, where he had reached the semifinals last year.
Alcaraz started with determination, earning two break points in the opening games, yet failed to capitalize. Ruud kept his cool, clinching a fiercely contested fifth game that marked the turning point of the first set, which he then won 6-1. In the second set, Alcaraz seemed to regain his rhythm and secured a break to go up 5-3. However, another lapse in concentration allowed Ruud back into the match, who eventually clinched victory on his third match point with an ace (7-5). This marked Ruud’s first win over Alcaraz after four consecutive losses.
Jannik Sinner rewrites Italian tennis history: triumph at the ATP Finals
17 Nov - 22:58 •
2' min
Now, the path forward at the ATP Finals looks steep for Alcaraz. With the need to win his remaining matches in the Newcombe group, any mistake could spell the end of his journey in Turin.
