By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday August 16, 2024
When Carlos Alcaraz entered on Center Court in Cincinnati on Thursday, he needed just six points to be eliminated Gael Monfils and continue his progress at the Cincinnati Open.
But things quickly changed when Monfils ended the pair’s rain-suspended tiebreak in the second set and went on to finish Alcaraz in three sets, 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4.
It was ominous to watch the 21-year-old four-time major champion hit a racket early in the third set. He was on a break and hoped to turn himself on, but it never happened.
“I don’t know what happened. I couldn’t control myself. I couldn’t be better. So this match was impossible to win, and that’s all,” he told reporters.
“He desperately wants to win this match” 👀#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/QkiDhvNHtw
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 16, 2024
The worst match of my career
Alcaraz, who was defending his runner-up finish in Cincinnati, went on to call his performance the worst of his career.
“It was really hard for me,” he said. “I felt like it was the worst game I’ve ever played in my career – I couldn’t play, honestly. “I have trained very well in this tournament, the previous days. I felt good hitting the ball clear, moving well.”
The Spaniard, who won major titles at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon this year before picking up a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, says Center Court in Cincinnati was playing faster than he remembered and that affected his his performance.
“It felt like it was a different sport playing downtown than other fields,” he said. “The balls were faster in center, bouncing a lot more than in other fields. As I honestly said, I came here thinking that I’m feeling good, that I’m going to (play) good tennis because I’m used to playing on this court. I know how to play on this court, but it felt like (it was) a completely different surface, a completely different sport.
“It was the worst game I’ve ever played in my career”
Alcaraz reflects on his tough loss to Monfils in #CincyTennis 🎙 pic.twitter.com/IWc1ddpsZc
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 16, 2024
Asked what positives he could take away from the early loss, he had nothing to add.
“It’s really hard to find good things from this match,” he said. “So I want to forget about that and try to go to New York. I’m going to go to New York and try to practice well, get used to those courts. And I’m going to forget about this match because I think it’s impossible to get something good from this match”.
