The final stretch of the tennis season is supposed to be familiar territory—indoor courts, fast conditions, and a straightforward rhythm for the sport’s elite hunters chasing their last point before taking their flight to Turin. But this year at the Paris Masters, the script flipped. The courts, normally a playground for heavy hitters and shot-makers, have sparked a rare chorus of confusion from two of the Tour’s brightest young stars—Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

In a sport where adapting is often the difference between despair and destiny, both men are learning that Paris has its own mind this time. This year, the Paris Masters director Cedric Pioline confirmed that courts at the ATP 1000 event have been slowed. He said, “We were told that last year's court was too fast. There is never truly a consensus. All players do not share the same opinion. But we tried to find the broadest possible consensus with the largest number of players.” This statement came weeks after tennis legend Roger Federer claimed the sport is slowing down their surfaces to suit Alcaraz and Sinner. Even the German star, Alexander Zverev, accused tennis authorities of favoring top-ranked rivals in their choice of court surfaces.

But did the surface at the La Defense Arena really favor Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner? Before the tournament, the Spaniard admitted, “It’s much slower, but I like it this way. For me, it’s a really good speed. I’ve always said that I prefer slower courts.” But during a conversation with his coach, Juan Ferrero, before facing his shocking 6-4, 3-6, 4-6 defeat to Cameron Norrie in the R32, Alcaraz complained, “I have no feeling for the ball, zero. I can't play here, I can't, impossible. It's like playing on clay, worse than in Monte Carlo. The only thing that saves you is your serve.” And now, Sinner also raised his eyebrows over the same. The Italian recently outclassed Zizou Bergs by 6-4, 6-2 in the R32, and after the match, while sharing his thoughts about the match, he admitted, “It’s a very unique court here. Usually always struggled a bit. Very happy to come through the first match.”

This is his fourth appearance in this tournament. Sinner’s best record until this was reaching the third round here in 2023. When he was asked to talk a bit more about the surface, he added, “I didn’t play last year. I usually never played well here. For me, it’s very difficult to compare with the court since 2 years ago... not even last year. So it’s very difficult. It is a very unique court. With new balls, the ball still goes quite fast. It’s not as bouncy…but then after the ball is quite big and slow. It changes a bit also the timing of the ball. Today there wasn’t a lot of rhythm, so I can’t tell you much more of that. But from my side, I was returning very well. First shots on every surface are very important. Today I did that very well. I can maybe give you more feedback tomorrow.”

Jannik Sinner managed the slow conditions pretty well, and with this win, he has now set up a record of winning 22 consecutive matches on indoor hard courts. He has won 63 out of his last 69 matches, and his record on the hard court is 44-3 since the 2024 Shanghai Masters. Incredible consistency! 

As Turin looms and the ATP Finals await, every ball struck in Paris becomes part of the larger story—who can adapt faster, who can stay calm when surfaces rebel, and who can survive chaos to chase glory? Alcaraz is now already out of this tournament, but Sinner is still alive in this competition. He’ll be facing Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in the R16. It will be interesting to see how well he performs in this match and what he says about the surface after that duel. But before that, let’s take a look at what the other players said about the surfaces in this tournament.

Tennis stars join Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to share their‌ thoughts on Paris Masters conditions

The Paris Masters has always been a battlefield reserved for the brave—the final stop before the season’s elite gather in Turin, the last sprint where every point feels heavier than the stadium roof above. But this year, the story isn’t just about who survived. It’s about what they’re playing on. And let me tell you, it’s not only Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz; several other tennis stars like Alexander Bublik, Ben Shelton, and a few more have also opened up on the same.

For example, following his opening round win against Alexei Popyrin on Monday, Bublik said, “Yeah. Very slow. I think the slowest indoor hard court I played in my life for sure. By far, by far, by far.” However, after getting a winning start at the Paris Masters, America’s Ben Shelton spoke about how these slow courts became a blessing in disguise for him.

He defeated Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in the R32 by 7-6(4), 6-3, and after this match, when he was asked to share his thoughts about the conditions here, he said, “I am enjoying it. I think it’s tough for guys to speed me up. I was really effective on my serve tonight, getting a lot of free points. And I was able to make it a little bit difficult on the other guy's serve.” Shelton said he’s also happy to push his opponents a bit deeper in the rallies, and hence, he feels this is a really good court for him.

Even Daniil Medvedev joined the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and these two superstars to share his thoughts about the surface. The Russian will now face Sinner’s compatriot Lorenzo Sonego in the R16, as he has been handed a walkover by Grigor Dimitrov in the R32. 

But when it came to commenting on the court speed at the Paris Masters, he said, “Bercy used to be much slower than La Défense. People only remember the 2024 tournament, but it was a one-off. Other than that, Bercy was never fast. La Défense is fine. Maybe just a little bit slower than typical indoor hard.”

And in this storm of unpredictability, the one who stands tallest won’t just be the best player—they’ll be the best thinker, the quickest adapter, the one who breathes in the chaos and thrives anyway. Can Jannik Sinner be the one to find his first title triumph at this venue? Share your thoughts in the comment box.

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta