World No. 3 tennis player Carlos Alcaraz has issued a public apology following his uncharacteristic outburst during the Cincinnati Masters 1000 tournament. The 21-year-old Spanish star lost his composure in a match against Gaël Monfils, smashing his racket on the court after losing a crucial point in the third set.Alcaraz, who lost the match 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, described it as ‘the worst match that I ever played in my career’. In his apology, he stated, ‘I’m human, I had a buildup of nerves inside and sometimes it’s very difficult to control yourself when you’re under so much pressure’.The incident has shocked fans and commentators alike, with former player Laura Robson expressing her surprise, saying, ‘When do you see that from him? That has properly shocked me’. This outburst was particularly notable as it was the first time Alcaraz had ever destroyed a racket in his professional career.The loss to Monfils, currently ranked 46th in the world, comes at a crucial time for Alcaraz. With the US Open set to begin on August 26, this defeat means he will enter the final Grand Slam of the season without a win on hard courts and with only one second-round match under his belt.Meanwhile, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarterfinals without playing, as his opponent Jordan Thompson withdrew due to injury. Sinner will face Andrey Rublev in the next round.As Alcaraz looks ahead to the US Open, where he clinched victory in 2022, he concluded his apology by saying, ‘I will work to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Time to think about New York!’. The tennis world will be watching closely to see how the young Spanish star rebounds from this setback in the coming weeks.
Key points
- Carlos Alcaraz apologized for smashing his racket during his loss to Gaël Monfils at the Cincinnati Masters.
- Alcaraz described the match as the ‘worst of his career’ and attributed his outburst to accumulated pressure.
- The loss impacts Alcaraz’s preparation for the US Open, which begins on August 26.
- World No.
1 Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarterfinals after his opponent withdrew due to injury.
