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Alcaraz, Gauff go to Forbidden Metropolis forward of Beijing
Spaniard previews ATP 500 occasion
September 25, 2024
China Open
Carlos Alcaraz visits the Forbidden Metropolis on Wednesday.
By Sam Jacot
Carlos Alcaraz will hope to again up his Laver Cup heroics this week when he competes on the China Open in Beijing. Nonetheless, earlier than the intense enterprise commences on court docket, the No. 3 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings took time to discover the Chinese language capital with WTA star Coco Gauff.
The Spaniard and American had been all smiles once they visited the Forbidden Metropolis wearing conventional clothes on Wednesday.
“It was an incredible expertise being there,” Alcaraz stated in his pre-tournament press-conference. “I could not go round a lot final 12 months. For me, it is nice to see the tradition right here in China, see various things. Being there [in the Forbidden City] was an incredible expertise for me. I am actually joyful to be again right here once more in Beijing.”
On court docket, Alcaraz hopes his performances on the Laver Cup might help him in his quest for additional glory in the course of the Asian swing. The 21-year-old, who earned victories in opposition to Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz to assist information Group Europe to victory in opposition to Group World in Berlin, is the second seed on the ATP 500 occasion in Beijing.
“All of us went to the Laver Cup simply to attempt to win, assist Group Europe as a lot as we may to deliver the trophy again,” Alcaraz stated. “The previous two years, Group World dominated the Laver Cup. For me, it was an incredible achievement assist Group Europe to deliver the cup again to Europe.
“It was an incredible match, an incredible expertise for me dwelling facet by facet with the gamers that I am used to combating in opposition to one another throughout the entire 12 months. Having that vitality from them whereas I am enjoying was an unimaginable expertise for me. I performed nice, nice matches there within the Laver Cup, what helped me loads to have extra confidence coming right here to this match.
“It’s nice for my confidence and for my stage simply to come back right here with further vitality realizing that I am able to do a very good end result right here, even realizing that I’ve a very powerful draw.”
Alcaraz has gained 15 tour-level titles in his standout profession however struggled to search out his finest stage within the closing phases of the season in 2022 and 2023. The Spaniard competed in simply three occasions after profitable the US Open in 2022, lacking the Nitto ATP Finals as a consequence of damage. Final 12 months, he held a 7-5 document from October to November, together with his finest end result semi-final showings on the Nitto ATP Finals and in Beijing.
Having already certified for the Nitto ATP Finals this 12 months, Alcaraz will hope enhance on his end-of-season document, beginning in Beijing, the place he performs big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard within the first-round. He’s seeded to face Daniil Medvedev within the semi-finals and can take a 5-2 Lexus ATP Head2Head collection lead into that conflict in the event that they do meet.