Alcaraz warns his rivals in Shanghai: "The court is fast and I like that"

Diego Jiménez Rubio - 10 Oct 2026 | 15:37
Carlos Alcaraz ATP Rueda de prensa ATP Shanghái 2026

The Spanish player spoke at a press conference for the Shanghai tournament after his promising debut and shared some interesting reflections.

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Carlos Alcaraz, statements after debuting in Shanghai. Photo: gettyimages

Carlos Alcaraz has technical and tactical resources to give and take, being able to decide how to win against lesser opponents. This is what he did against Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, perfectly interpreting what he needed in his debut at the ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai 2026. He explained this himself in a press conference.

It is exciting to enjoy the path that Carlos Alcaraz is forging in his professional career, already assuming that we are witnessing a man who will go down in tennis history, no matter what happens in the future. Understanding his particular idiosyncrasy, enjoying his progression, and analyzing how he is reinforcing details is a gift for every tennis fan. This ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai 2026 is a golden opportunity for all of that.

This is what Alcaraz said in Shanghai after defeating Cerúndolo in his debut

Feelings in the match

"I think it was very good. The first match of any tournament is never easy, and the conditions here are quite different than those in Tokyo. I only had two days to adapt and I didn't even train on the central court. I went out to play trying to discover the speed of the court, how the conditions were, and trying to provide my best tennis."

"At first, I felt a little uncomfortable and couldn't find the right rhythm. Suddenly, I realized that I had to play aggressively and try to come to the net as much as possible. I think it worked, so I'm happy. Now let's see if I can play a bit better in the next round."

Emphasis on offensive tennis and net approaches

"Honestly, that wasn't the plan at first. I tried to be prepared and get used to the conditions here. The court is quite fast, which I like, but that's exactly why I didn't start very well. I couldn't find the rhythm or read his serve well, so I decided to try something different."

"The first match of any tournament is never easy. I would say it becomes even more complicated when you haven't had much time to adapt to the conditions. I came from Tokyo, where they were totally different: the speed of the court, the speed of the ball, and the humidity changed."

"Still, this type of match and the level I'm showing help me a lot to keep progressing towards where I really want to go. I'm happy, and I hope that in the next round things will go even better."

Comfortable with his curious outfit

"I have always said that if you feel good in what you wear, with your clothes and your style, everything is much better. You have more confidence and feel better when you step onto the court. Now I'm changing my style a bit and trying to decide what outfit I'm going to wear on the court. I'm very happy with the new pieces; I feel very comfortable and confident in them. So I want to play good tennis and go far in the tournament to wear them as many times as possible."

Overall, Carlos Alcaraz has a very positive assessment of his triumphant debut at the ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai 2026, a tournament that stands as one of his top priorities for the remainder of the year since he has never been able to win this tournament, and this edition seems to be a good opportunity for it.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz avisa a sus rivales en Shanghái: "La pista es rápida y eso me gusta"