Carlos Alcaraz watched the Shanghai Masters final with Roger Federer (Image: Getty)
Carlos Alcaraz has opened up on his private chat with Roger Federer after they watched the Shanghai Masters final together.
The world No. 3 lost in the quarter-final but he stayed to watch Jannik Sinner battle Novak Djokovic for the title.
It was worth sticking around – Alcaraz got to pick Federer’s brain and even learned some of his secrets to facing Djokovic.
When Sinner stepped out to face Djokovic in the Shanghai Masters final, eagle-eyed fans noticed a familiar face in the crowd. Alcaraz was in the stands to watch the match court-side with his brother Alvaro and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, a former world No. 1.
The star-studded lineup didn’t end there as Federer soon joined them, taking his seat between Alcaraz and Ferrero. They caught both players’ attention as Sinner and Djokovic paid tribute to their rivals in their trophy ceremony speeches.
The Spaniard also got on one of the practice courts to have a hit with Federer. Until now, Alcaraz had played coy about their Shanghai Masters link-up but the four-time Grand Slam champion has now shared what they spoke about.
“In Shanghai he couldn’t be at my matches, but then I stayed a few more days in the city and I had the chance to play with him, to talk to him, to ask him things about his career, how it went, what he’s done,” the world No. 3 told Marca.
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“My career has just started and I tried to ask him things that would be useful for the future. Then we watched the Masters 1000 final together and we talked a bit about everything.”
Alcaraz lost a heartbreaking gold medal match to Djokovic at the Olympics over the summer and he took the opportunity to get Federer’s insight on how he would’ve played the match.
He continued: “The match, the final with Djokovic at the Games, things he would have done… And also about life situations. It was a great moment for me and I hope he comes to see me play more often.”
Alcaraz also shed light on their practice session earlier in the day, claiming Federer looked as good as ever. “The timing is there. Roger will always have that quality,” he said.
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“He played so easily with me. He told me that it was the first time he had played with that intensity since he retired. He had played tennis, but not with that intensity.
“He hit the ball so easily, so naturally, with such elegance. It seemed as if he had never retired. Obviously when the point was extended he was like he was, but the feeling I had was that he never retired.”
Alcaraz will hope to take Federer’s advice into this week’s ATP Finals. The Spaniard is competing in the season-ending championships for just the second time and will look to bid on last year’s semi-final run.
The third seed has been drawn in the John Newcombe group and will play Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev in the round robin stage.
