“I think I played great besides the problem in the ankle,” Carlos Alcaraz had said last month after his second-round win over Zizou Berg at the Japan Open, a tournament he went on to conquer. Yet, his momentum came to a halt as he withdrew from the Shanghai Masters, where qualifier Valentin Vacherot stole the spotlight in an all-cousin final against Arthur Rinderknech. Now, with the Paris Masters looming before the ATP Finals, the Spaniard has finally explained the reason behind his Shanghai absence, a calculated decision rooted in recovery, focus, and the long game ahead.

Ahead of his Paris Masters clash with Cameron Norrie, Carlos Alcaraz stands rejuvenated, sharper, calmer, and more self-aware than ever. The Spaniard, who shocked many by pulling out of the Shanghai Masters e

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