When Tommy Paul steps on courtroom Thursday on the Western & Southern Open, he’ll accomplish that to face Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 1 participant within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. For a lot of gamers, that might be an intimidating expertise.
There may be excellent news for the American: He simply defeated the Spaniard final week in Toronto.
“It helps slightly bit, however on the identical time, it most likely does not damage him,” Paul informed a small group of media after his second-round win over Ugo Humbert. “He most likely feels much less stress this week to play me than he did final week. So I feel it should be a really, very difficult and difficult match. However I am actually trying ahead to this.”
Paul leads Alcaraz 2-1 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence, with each his victories coming at Canada’s ATP Masters 1000 occasion. Final week, Alcaraz battled again to drive a deciding set, however the Australian Open semi-finalist’s aggression dominated the day.
How will the 26-year-old stability reusing a successful sport plan with stopping his opponent from totally adjusting?
“You possibly can’t do the identical actual factor in any given match. I did not do the identical factor for the entire match final time I performed him and I am not going to do the identical factor tomorrow that I did final week. And identical for him,” Paul mentioned. “He is not going to do the identical actual factor. He will most likely look to vary issues up greater than I’m. However on the identical time, with me and him I actually do really feel prefer it’s about who begins the purpose on offence extra typically.”
Neither participant in Toronto was in a position to dominate behind his serve, with each failing to prime 65 per cent of service factors received. Of their conflict this 12 months in Miami, which Alcaraz received in straight units, the Spaniard received 75 per cent of his service factors.
No matter how the strategic ingredient of the conflict performs out, Paul is happy for one more alternative to play on a giant stage — the match will likely be on centre courtroom — towards the No. 1-ranked participant on the earth.
“He is clearly an unbelievable participant,” Paul mentioned. “However after I play him, it is identical to there’s extra vitality across the match and it is extra thrilling and I am extra excited to play these matches. So I’ve quite a lot of enjoyable enjoying these matches.”
Paul can also be assured having reached his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final on the Nationwide Financial institution Open Introduced by Rogers. However the 14th seed doesn’t consider his efficiency there essentially applies in Cincinnati.
“The situations listed below are so, so completely different that after I bought right here, and after I performed my first-round match, it felt like I used to be beginning fully from scratch once more,” Paul mentioned. “I feel I bought confidence from the match as we speak. I performed truthfully an unreal first set, I did not miss too many balls in any respect. So I’ll must play match tomorrow and I plan to come back out and play aggressive.”
Quietly, there’s extra at stake than a match win for Paul towards Alcaraz. The American is shortly closing on the High 10 within the Pepperstone ATP Reside Rankings. The World No. 13 is 25 factors behind No. 12 Alex de Minaur and 275 factors behind No. 11 Karen Khachanov. De Minaur misplaced to Gael Monfils on Wednesday and Khachanov withdrew earlier than enjoying his first match. Each win attracts Paul nearer.
“I feel everybody else pays consideration to it much more than I do. It is exhausting to not hear it. Like after I first confirmed up right here, I see Frances and he is within the locker room like, ‘Man, if anybody’s going to bump me out of the High 10, I wished it to be you,’” Paul mentioned. “I used to be like, ‘Dude, I wasn’t even serious about that.’ Like after I was enjoying [Jannik] Sinner. I needed to beat Sinner [in the Toronto semi-finals] after which win one other match to get High 10. I am not likely serious about it an excessive amount of.
“I am 13. I nonetheless must get to 12 after which 11 after which 10. So I am frightened about attending to 12 proper now, and I am frightened about successful my match tomorrow.”
