Alcaraz: "Here, you either play well or you get eaten"

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First match, first victory. Carlos Alcaraz laid the foundation at the Nitto ATP Finals 2025 by defeating Alex De Minaur in the group stage, taking a giant leap in his bid to finish the season as World No. 1. Later, he spoke to the media.

Although we love seeing Carlos Alcaraz close to perfection, on days like today, it's worth watching him struggle a bit in the first set in exchange for seeing him unleash all his shots in the second set. A stellar performance by the player from Murcia to defeat Alex De Minaur in his first match of the Nitto ATP Finals 2025. Satisfied with his performance and excited about what lies ahead, Carlitos spoke to the media after securing one of the three victories he needs to finish the season at the top of the rankings. These were his words.

From low to high after the first set

"I had the first set within reach, was close to winning it when I was up 4-1 and 40-0 on the scoreboard, but I couldn't seal it. From that moment, everything started to go uphill until we reached the tiebreak and it was 5-3. What I tried to do there was not lose focus, always stay focused, concentrated on every point in play. Fortunately, I managed to recover and then in the second set, I didn't feel those same nerves. I'm really happy to have won this afternoon in straight sets; the first match here is never easy. In fact, I just realized that this is the first time I've won the first match I've played here."

Two clear objectives in Turin

"As I've said several times in recent days, I'm not just here fighting to lift the trophy but also for the top spot in the world rankings. So, I'm very pleased with the performance I had in this first group stage match. I remained very focused on my goals against such a dangerous player like Alex; he's always a very tough opponent. I'm happy to get this first win, excited about what's coming next."

Putting the Paris experience behind

"You always have to look for the positives; we've discussed what happened in Paris, we've analyzed it, but a bad match can always happen. Obviously, when you have a match like that, it's normal to have some doubts in the following tournament, especially about how you'll feel. Here, however, I felt very good on the court. I'm aware that we're the top eight in the world; here, you either play well or you're eaten up, which helps you stay focused all the time on every shot and every moment. Mentally, I try to stick to the goals we've set; I think it was a very good first round."

Alcaraz, ecstatic with his backhand in his first match

"I've been feeling very good about this shot for a while. It's something we've been working on and emphasizing for months in every training session. Confidence is crucial in this shot; I tried a lot in Paris, but it didn't work out there. So, I've continued on the same path in training. Eventually, when you insist so much on something, it's normal for it to start working. There's no better feeling than when plans succeed; I think I played very solid, good tennis today. Above all, I'm pleased with having been brave in crucial moments; there, I went for it."

The key to maintaining motivation in the final stretch of the year

"It's been a whole process; gradually, I've understood what I needed off the court to stay motivated, to not lose that excitement. The year is always very long, lots of matches, many tournaments, so it's normal to reach the end of the season mentally and physically exhausted. I think this year I had more time between tournaments, more time at home, which was great for me to better prepare physically and be mentally fresher. This tournament is really important; it's a tournament where I want to do great, where I want to win someday. Thanks to all this, I'm motivated and eager to offer a high level, proud of how I handled things to get here."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz: “Aquí, o juegas bien o te comen”