Carlos Alcaraz Welcomes Court Speed Change at Rolex Paris Masters 2025

Just like most of the recent tournament weeks, much of the talk entering another tournament has yet again been dominated by court speed and its impact on player performance. This week, it is the Rolex Paris Masters under the microscope, as questions arise over whether the tournament has intentionally modified its surface speed to favor certain players.

A Shift in Venue

The Rolex Paris Masters traditionally featured medium-paced indoor hard courts that rewarded players who hit flat rather than with heavy topspin. This year, the tournament hosts its first edition at the La Défense Arena, where players immediately noticed how differently the courts play.

It is important to remember that last year’s event featured one of the fastest surfaces in recent memory, recording a Court Pace Index (CPI) of 45.5. It was the highest CPI for any ATP tour event in over a decade, overtaking the previous mark of 44.4 set in 2016 at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

The Decision to Slow Things Down

The conditions last year saw matches dominated by short and serve-dependent points, which drew criticism from fans and players alike. Carlos Alcaraz’s early exit and the absence of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic further sapped the tournament’s star power and interest.

Determined to fix the issue, tournament director Cédric Pioline has made significant adjustments ahead of the 2025 edition. “The surface is slower than last year. It was our wish to slow it down,” Pioline explained. “The players have noticed it and seem satisfied. Not all players have the same opinion, but we tried to find the broadest possible consensus. We also listen to the feedback from the ATP, since they are the ones organizing this tournament. They commented that the courts for the 2024 edition were too fast. We tried to adapt, to change.”

Alcaraz Backs the Change

Speaking in his pre-tournament press conference, World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz expressed his delight at this decision by the tournament organisers. Praising the shift, he commented:

“You know, the speed of the court, yeah, it’s much slower than last year, but I think it is a really good speed that we can see tennis, not only serve or it’s not only serve plus one. So you can see rallies, you can see points, you can see tennis. So I think it’s great. Obviously I’ve said many times that I like, you know, slower courts, not that fast.”

Accusations of Favoritism