Carlos Alcaraz‘s run at Paris Masters has come to an unexpected end. Coming into the event as a hot favorite, the Spanish superstar made his way into the second round of the event. However, the local favorite Ugo Humbert proved too much to handle for him as he stumbled against the freshman – losing a tight (6-1, 3-6, 7-5) match. Post his match, Alcaraz came ahead and made his thoughts clear on the potential reasons behind his early elimination.

Carlos Alcaraz, in the post-match conference, opened up about his recent loss at the Paris Masters, attributing his struggles to the extremely fast court conditions that challenged his gameplay. Alcaraz admitted he could have performed better but was proud of his resilience, saying, “I competed and fought until the last point.” He praised his opponent, Ugo Humbert, for his powerful game, acknowledging, “Congratulations to Ugo, his level has been impressive… Every time he plays against me he raises his level.”

Alcaraz expressed difficulty adjusting to the rapid court speed, which he said was noticeably faster than other tournaments, even compared to previous years at the Paris Masters. He commented, “I do not know why they make these courts so fast, compared to other tournaments or the same tournaments from one year to the next.” Despite rigorous preparation, Alcaraz noted, “I have trained at home, but they were not the same conditions.”

While stressing that he did not want to make excuses, Alcaraz acknowledged his surprise at the speed of the courts, which reports confirm is the fastest in the last decade with a Court Pace Index (CPI) of 45.5. His comments reflect his ongoing challenge with the Paris Masters’ conditions, as he continues to seek success on these exceptionally fast courts.

Carlos Alcaraz opens up on facing French players and the support from the crowd

Carlos Alcaraz reflected on the Paris Masters atmosphere following his intense match against French player Ugo Humbert, noting a positive shift compared to his experience of facing Hugo Gaston in Paris three years ago. Alcaraz suggested that a lot had changed since that match. He shared, “A lot of things happen…from that match until today. I have had a lot of success here in Paris, so I guess a lot of…guys [are] supporting me a little bit.”

Alcaraz expressed genuine gratitude for the support he received during the match, especially considering the strong home support for his opponent. “Today was more respectful than, you know, that match, which I appreciate, honestly,” he said. Alcaraz also said that the crowd, despite rooting for Humbert, clapped for him on some of his points.

Facing a player on his own soil is never easy, but Alcaraz had nothing but good things to say about his experience. Despite losing the match, he said, “It has been a really good match,” while thanking the fans for their support. This positive response from fans shows the evolving relationship between Alcaraz and the Paris crowd as he continues to make his mark on the tournament. Well, his sight is now set on the ATP finals. But will he be able to turn things around? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!