Carlos Alcaraz said he hopes to make Rafael Nadal’s tennis farewell at the Davis Cup final a victorious moment after he was knocked out of the ATP Finals in the group stage with a straight-sets defeat against Alexander Zverev on Friday.
World number three Alcaraz lost 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to Zverev and was eliminated after losing two of his three matches in Turin, before Casper Ruud joined Zverev in the semi-finals from the John Newcombe group.
Ruud qualified by winning the first set of his 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Andrey Rublev who was out of contention before falling to his seventh straight defeat in the final.
Alcaraz has won Wimbledon and the French Open this season but has struggled to find form in northern Italy and will end his year alongside tennis icon and fellow Spaniard Nadal in Malaga next week.
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Earlier in November, Davis Cup tournament director Feliciano Lopez said a special ceremony would be organized for the 22-time Grand Slam winner, who will bow out at home.
“Probably one of the most special tournaments I will play. Rafa’s last tournament, I will be able to be by his side in the last moments on a tennis court for him,” Alcaraz said.
“I think it’s the most important for Rafa, for his last tournament. I really want him to retire with a title. It’s going to be really emotional and it’s going to be a really special tournament for me.
Alcaraz leaves the tournament without ever reaching his full potential, and at some point he might even have to retire. He played his last two group matches in bright pink tape after suffering breathing problems during a training session on Tuesday.
“It’s been a tough week, I guess, for me, dealing with some physical issues, but at the same time it’s been a really nice tournament,” Alcaraz added.
“Today I faced one of the best players in the world, without a doubt, playing really solid and excellent tennis.”
Zverev’s Grand Slam goal
Zverev ensured he would advance by winning the first set after more than an hour of battling tennis, before sweeping the second to complete a perfect group campaign.
Zverev will face Taylor Fritz in the next round on Saturday after gaining some form of revenge for his loss to Alcaraz in this year’s Roland Garros final.
The 27-year-old has a bittersweet relationship with Roland Garros as during the 2022 semi-finals he suffered a terrible ankle injury and was forced to withdraw, allowing Nadal to reach the final and win his last Grand Slam.
Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during their men’s singles match. | Photo credit: Getty Images
Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during their men’s singles match. | Photo credit: Getty Images
Zverev recovered from the injury to climb to second in the world rankings and win two Master 1000 events this season, in Rome and Paris. These results give him confidence in his ability to win his first Grand Slam next year, with Parisian clay as his main objective.
“Roland Garros is still marked on my calendar since the injury. I have been saying this for the last few years,” Zverev said. “But for me, it’s no secret, I’m looking for that Grand Slam title. I’m looking for world number 1. I’m looking for the Grand Slams. If it’s not Roland Garros, but Australia, I’ll sign the paper right away, to be honest.
“Of course it would be special if it was Paris. If it was somewhere else, I’d be just as happy.
Zverev and Ruud’s qualification completes the semi-final line-up, with Ruud facing world number one and local hopeful Jannik Sinner on Saturday evening.
