Carlos Alcaraz’s 2025 ATP Finals campaign in Turin began with a display of the resilience that has defined his season, as the top seed battled through a nearly three-hour thriller against American Taylor Fritz. After dropping a tight first set in a tiebreak, Alcaraz dug deep to secure a 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3 victory, a win that marked his first-ever comeback from a set down at the season-ending championships. This hard-fought triumph, following a straight-sets win over Alex de Minaur in his opening match, placed him in a commanding position at the top of the Jimmy Connors Group and moved him to within one win of securing the year-end World No. 1 ranking.

The demanding contest was a test of both physical and mental fortitude, with Alcaraz later admitting, “It was a very demanding match, both physically and mentally. Staying strong for three hours, trying not to get down, preventing your negative thoughts from outweighing the positive ones, is really demanding. In the end, you get really tired. I’ve also noticed the different conditions, not because of the court but because of the heat and the humidity. That really plays a big role in such a long match.”

Even though his matches have drawn in fans, there’s this controversial training method he uses behind the scenes that really plays a key role in how he gets ready. According to The Express, there’s some buzz around Alcaraz’s routine, particularly because of his use of Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) bands. Interestingly, he’s not using them for regular strength training; instead, they’re part of a technique called ischemic preconditioning.

This technique is all about wrapping bands around his upper thighs with way more pressure than usual, effectively stopping blood flow to the muscles for up to five minutes at a time. Ideally, one can really start to see the key benefits of this method as soon as those tight bands are let go. A strong flow of oxygen-rich blood comes rushing back into the muscles.

Many believe that this boost of oxygen can really help with muscle movement and efficiency, which might give Alcaraz an important edge right at the beginning of his matches. Also, this technique really helps with pain relief, making it easier to deal with discomfort.

Researcher Pedro L. Valenzuela mentioned that this process isn’t for everyone, saying, “Some people don’t like them because they cause an unpleasant sensation. It’s what we call the nocebo effect. It’s like having your blood pressure taken for five minutes: your feet start to go numb, you feel a tingling sensation… Some people don’t want to use them.” But you know, beyond all the tennis successes, the Spaniard also shared a really touching moment in Turin.

One Carlos Alcaraz moment that transcended beyond the sport

Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his 2025 ATP Finals journey in Turin with a solid straight-sets win, taking down Australia’s Alex de Minaur 7-6(5), 6-2 in his opening round-robin match. Once he got the first set under his belt, Alcaraz really stepped it up in the second. He broke De Minaur’s serve a few times, wrapping up the match in just one hour and forty minutes. It was a solid start for him as he aims for that season-ending title.

The tournament vibe was really something special, going beyond just tennis. The ATP Finals teamed up with the charity UGI ODV to welcome young oncology patients from the nearby Regina Margherita Hospital. It was such a sweet moment when these young people got to walk onto the court with the players before the matches started.

In his first match, Alcaraz was paired with a seven-year-old girl named Eva Nicole. When she was asked later how tall the tennis star looked to her, the young girl just said, “Like dad.” This simple comparison really shows how these charitable gestures touch lives, going beyond just the sport and giving the kids a moment of normalcy and inspiration.