It’s safe to say that Roger Federer‘s apology to Carlos Alcaraz for snubbing him years ago at Wimbledon went fairly well; the duo were all smiles during their much-awaited link-ups in these past few months. While it is well-documented how Federer played a pivotal role in motivating the Spaniard to reach new heights, he seldom skips praising the ‘Swiss Maestro’ when given the mic.

Both tennis stars crossed paths with each other at the Laver Cup. Federer, being the co-founder of the annual event, spectated thriller showdowns in Berlin, amongst Alcaraz’s. Moreover, after the young talent downed American rival Taylor Fritz, he was compared to peak Federer. However, he quickly dismissed such claims, stating that he was “too far away from that level”, but, that didn’t mean he was not willing to bring such compliments to life.

After a disappointing end to his North American hardcourt swing, the Spanish sensation jetted to Shanghai where was once again met with Federer. Despite bowing out in the quarterfinals, Alcaraz did not readily fly back but, instead, he stayed to spend priceless moments with the Swiss legend. These moments, in turn, were reminisced by him during a pre-tournament exclusive with the ATP Finals. In response to the reporters asking how he feels knowing he’s one of Fed’s favorite players, the Spaniard noted it was a “real pleasure for me to have Roger watching my matches at the Laver” and hoped for the former World No. 1 to continue guiding him.

He continued saying, “In Shanghai, he couldn’t be at my matches, but then I stayed a few more days in the city and I had the chance to play with him, to talk to him, to ask him things about his career, how it went, what he’s done… My career has just started and I tried to ask him things that would be useful for the future. Then we watched the Masters 1000 final together and we talked a bit about everything. It was a great moment for me and I hope he comes to see me play more often. When I played with Federer in Shanghai it seemed like he had never retired”

With his sights set on the agenda, Alcaraz is looking to do some damage on the tour before the season commences. Moreover, the four-time Grand Slam champion reserved a few words to explain why his ATP Finals campaign from last year ended miserably.

Carlos Alcaraz explains not being at his best before loss to Novak Djokovic at 2023 Laver Cup

Spanish superstar Carlos Alcaraz enjoyed a modest run last year. He added Wimbledon to his shiny resume. However, there was a sharp drop in his form towards the end of the season and, moreover, the conclusion to his season was far less than pretty. Not because his ATP Finals campaign ended prematurely; but simply because he suffered an embarrassing straight-set loss to Serbian rival Novak Djokovic in the last four.

In a recent interview, Alcaraz highlighted: “Last year was a difficult end of the year for me. I could not play at my best… Last year I didn’t start well from the first matches. I come here a little bit different. I approach this tournament a little differently, knowing there are things I have to change if I am to have a good result here and go far.”

Heading into Turin, the Spaniard is locked in to narrate a better story than last year. Subsequently, he will lock horns with Norwegian Casper Ruud in the round-robin opener on Monday, November 11.