Former world No 2 Alex Corretja has analysed Carlos Alcaraz’s ATP Finals clash with Alexander Zverev and revealed what he feels the Spaniard must do tactically.
The two-time Roland Garros finalist believes the match will be “very difficult” for Alcaraz as he identified Zverev as a “slight favourite.”
Zverev and Alcaraz, who are seeded second and third respectively in Turin, will face off in their third and final round robin match on Friday.
Alcaraz, who has been struggling with an illness, lost to Casper Ruud in his opening match before defeating Andrey Rublev in his second.
The 21-year-old will likely need to beat Zverev to advance to the semi-finals, although it may still be possible for him to qualify if he loses.
Zverev, meanwhile, won both his matches in straight sets without facing a single break point.
The German, who is a two-time ATP Finals champion, is likely to reach to the last four irrespective of the result, but a win would guarantee his progress as the group winner.
Corretja, who won the season-ending championships in 1998, shared his thoughts on the highly-anticipated showdown.
“Against Ruud, Alcaraz was slow, lacking confidence in his head,” Corretja told Eurosport.
“Even against Rublev, I noticed that he sometimes had difficulty breathing after a long exchange. But I think it’s the right time for him tom play Zverev because he’s improving.
“Let’s not kid ourselves, it will be very difficult for Carlos against Sascha because Zverev’s form is fantastic. For me, the most important thing for Carlitos will be to play relaxed. Like he did against Rublev.
“As he understood that it would be difficult to reach the semi-finals, he was calm against Rublev and that’s why he played his best tennis, even if he’s not 100% physically.
“He will have to look for his opportunities on Sascha’s second serve. That will be the key for him. Putting a lot of pressure on Zverev with his forehand, using some variations.
“Maybe this is the best Sascha of his career, I was impressed. His serve is absolutely amazing and I feel like he has changed a bit in terms of mentality. I think his loss in the match against [Taylor] Fritz at the US Open can be an important moment in his career.
“It’s going to be a very interesting match between Zverev and Alcaraz. I think Zverev should be a slight favourite because he is coming in with full confidence after Bercy. But with Carlitos you never know.”
The head-to-head between Alcaraz and Zverev in split at 5-5.
