Carlos Alcaraz Aims for Paris Masters Title Amidst Strong Season and Recent Controversy

Carlos Alcaraz, the current World No. 2, is gearing up for a strong performance at the ATP Paris Masters 2024, following a successful season that includes wins at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, the ATP 1000 at Indian Wells, and an ATP 500 in Beijing.

Alcaraz’s path to the final appears relatively smooth, especially after Jannik Sinner‘s withdrawal from the tournament. Sinner’s spot in the main draw will be taken by Frenchman Arthur Cazaux. Alcaraz will begin his campaign against Nicolas Jarry, a player he leads 2-1 in head-to-head matches, although Jarry did win their last encounter in the semi-final of the Argentina Open in straight sets.

In the potential third round, Alcaraz could face either Ugo Humbert or Brandon Nakashima, both of whom he has a favorable record against. He is 2-0 against Humbert and 2-0 against Nakashima. The quarter-final round could see Alcaraz facing Casper Ruud or Tommy Paul, with Alcaraz holding an unblemished 4-0 record against Ruud and a 4-2 edge over Paul.

The semi-finals and finals could present tougher challenges, with potential matches against Andrey Rublev or Alexander Zverev. Alcaraz and Rublev are tied at 1-1 in their head-to-head, while Alcaraz and Zverev are tied at 5-5, with Alcaraz leading 2-1 in their 2024 matches.

Despite the recent controversy surrounding an accusation of drug use, which has been addressed and cleared, Alcaraz remains focused on his goal to win the Paris Masters title, a feat that would make him the second Spaniard after David Ferrer to achieve this milestone.