Carlos Alcaraz left ‘surprised’ after what happened during his win over Andrey Rublev at the ATP Finals

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Carlos Alcaraz won his second group stage game 6-3, 7-6 against Russia’s Andrey Rublev.

Alcaraz qualified for the ATP Finals with a mighty impressive season on the ATP Tour winning four titles in total.

The Spaniard won his third and fourth Grand Slam titles in 2024, as Alcaraz won the French Open beating Alexander Zverev in the final, before defending his Wimbledon crown against Novak Djokovic.

The 21-year-old also picked up titles at Indian Wells and in Beijing this year, qualifying him for the ATP Finals as the third seed.

Alcaraz hadn’t had an easy start to his time in Turin however, as he has struggled with an illness that some thought might see him withdraw from the tournament.

Alcaraz lost his opening match to Casper Ruud in straight sets, leaving him with a lot of work to do against Rublev in his second outing.

It was a good performance for the Spaniard against Rublev as he won 6-3, 7-6, a performance that surprised him.

Carlos Alcaraz surprised by how he beat Andrey Rublev at the ATP Finals

Speaking in his on-court interview after beating Rublev at the ATP Finals, Alcaraz revealed what surprised him about his performance.

“A lot,” he said.

“I surprised myself the way that I played from the baseline.

“With my serve, I was really calm.”

The Spaniard went on to say how he tried to distract himself from his ongoing illness.

“I tried to be focused on my game and what I had to do and forget I am not feeling well and I’m sick,” said Alcaraz.

“Once you step on the court you have to forget everything you struggle with outside the court and put your focus on hitting a good forehand and backhand.

“I think I did play well, so I surprised myself.”

Carlos Alcaraz’s 2024 ATP top ten dominance

Alcaraz’s win against Rublev was his 12th top ten win of the season, a remarkable record, but what is even more remarkable is his overall record against top ten players in recent times.

The 21-year-old is an astonishing 9-2 against top ten opponents since the French Open began earlier this year.

Considering one of his defeats came this week, where the Spaniard seems to be far from 100% healthy, the record becomes ever more impressive.

Having confidence that he can beat the top players in men’s tennis is absolutely vital in a tournament such as the ATP Finals, and Alcaraz will no doubt have full faith in winning his next match and advancing to the semi-finals.

Alcaraz will return to court to face off against Alexander Zverev on Thursday.