VIENNA — Carlos Alcaraz has accepted a wildcard into the Vienna Open later this month in a smart move to prepare for the Paris Masters, following his shock third-round loss to Zizou Bergs at the Shanghai Masters.
The defeat was an underwhelming end to his Shanghai campaign, coming just after he had won the Japan Open title. It was only his third tournament since returning from the wrist issue that kept him out for nearly five months, and with Jannik Sinner ruled out for the rest of the season, there had been quiet optimism he could capitalise. The Paris Masters now stands as his last opportunity before the ATP Finals to claim one of the elite honours that have previously eluded him, and his complaints about the conditions in Shanghai have underlined his desire to avoid a repeat in the French capital.
The decision to head to Vienna has caught many by surprise. Alcaraz has not needed a wildcard for any event since Wimbledon in 2021, his last, during an early period in his career when he was still seeking to make his mark on the ATP Tour. He has played the Vienna event before, making a memorable run to the semi-finals as an 18-year-old in 2021 where he beat Dan Evans, Andy Murray and Matteo Berrettini before losing to eventual champion Alexander Zverev.
His record in Paris underlines why extra indoor preparation could prove vital. The seven-time Grand Slam champion's best-ever performance at the Paris Masters was a run to the quarter-finals in 2022, with second- and third-round exits otherwise. With Sinner absent, an opportunity has presented itself to add brand-new honours to his trophy cabinet, and by tuning his game to indoor conditions in Vienna he will arrive in Paris far better prepared to challenge for the title.