"I'm not in the right time to talk" - Carlos Alcaraz on regaining form ahead of ATP Finals after Paris Masters 2R defeat

Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock defeat to Roman Safiullin in his tournament opener at the 2023 Paris Masters.

Alcaraz hasn't won a tour-level title since his triumph over Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon Championships final. His title drought will persist given his second-round exit from the final ATP Masters 1000 event of the season.

After a first-round bye, the second seed took locked horns with qualifier Roman Safiullin to commence his campaign. The World No. 45 secured the biggest win of his career by claiming a 6-3, 6-4 win over Alcaraz, handing the two-time Grand Slam champion his first opening-round loss of the season.

The defeat also dealt a substantial blow to the 20-year-old's prospects of ending the year as the World No. 1. The Spaniard entered the tournament with only a 500-point gap to Djokovic. However, he failed to add any points to his tally, not improving upon his run to the quarterfinals last year.

Carlos Alcaraz, who had raised concerns about his form ahead of his tournament opener, expressed his aim to regain his top form in time for the 2023 ATP Finals, scheduled to commence on November 12.

"I don't know. I have time before the ATP Finals, a lot of days of practice to be able to reach that level, the level that I want to play," he said during his post-match press conference.

However, the Spaniard also emphasized that it wasn't the right time to discuss his plans for the year-end championships, as he needed a few days to regroup after his unexpected defeat.

"But right now I'm not in the right time to talk. Honestly after the loss, I have to take some time, you know, before thinking about the next days, you know, and the days that what I have to do or what I'm gonna do, you know. But obviously before the ATP Finals begun, we have time," he added.

Carlos Alcaraz after Paris Masters defeat: "A lot of things to improve, a lot of things to practice"

Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz made a return to the court at the Paris Masters after withdrawing from the Swiss Indoors Basel due to problems with his left foot and lower back.

The World No. 2 admitted that he didn't feel his best during his defeat to Roman Safiullin and acknowledged the need for improvement in his on-court movement.

"I just didn't feel well, you know, on the court. A lot of things to improve, a lot of things to practice. You know, I didn't feel well, you know, in the game. I think I didn't move well. In the shots, I think I had a good quality of shots. But, you know, physically in the part of movement, I have to improve a lot," Carlos Alcaraz said.

Carlos Alcaraz will make his debut appearance at the ATP Finals this season. While the Spaniard qualified for the year-end championships last season as well, he was forced to withdraw from the event after suffering an abdominal injury during his Paris Masters campaign.