The aftermath of Carlos Alcaraz’s shocking defeat at the Cincinnati Masters continues to reverberate through the tennis world. The world No. 3 and Olympic silver medalist lost to Gael Monfils in a thrilling three-set match, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. Alcaraz, visibly frustrated, smashed his racket multiple times on the court, receiving a warning for his outburst.In a post-match press conference, Alcaraz didn’t mince words about his performance, stating, ‘This was the worst game I have ever played in my career’. The Spanish player, who had been hoping to improve his ranking ahead of the US Open, now faces a setback in his preparations for the final Grand Slam of the year.However, Monfils’ joy was short-lived. The 37-year-old Frenchman, who had become only the second player in history to beat a top 3 player at his age (after Roger Federer in 2019), was eliminated in the next round by Holger Rune with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.As the tournament progresses, other top players have advanced. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner moved to the quarterfinals without playing as his opponent, Jordan Thompson, withdrew due to a physical issue. In the women’s draw, Iga Swiatek cruised into the quarter-finals with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 win over Marta Kostyuk.With the US Open looming, starting on August 26, all eyes will be on how Alcaraz rebounds from this unexpected setback. The young Spanish star, with a 38-8 win-loss record this season and three titles including the French Open and Wimbledon, will be looking to regain his form and confidence in the lead-up to the final Grand Slam of the season.
Key points
- Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shocking defeat to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Masters, describing it as his ‘worst match ever’.
- Gael Monfils, after his upset win over Alcaraz, was eliminated in the next round by Holger Rune.
- World No.
- The results have implications for players’ preparations and rankings ahead of the US Open.
1 Jannik Sinner and women’s top player Iga Swiatek have advanced in the tournament.
