2023-11-01 01:23:23
It’s not just the French who lose at Bercy, Carlos Alcaraz too. The world number two is already saying goodbye to the Paris Masters. The Spaniard was eliminated as soon as he entered the second round this Tuesday evening against world 45th Roman Safiullin (6-3, 6-4).
This is a huge sensation for the tour prodigy who is losing valuable points in the race for the world number one position at the end of the season. Never in this match did he seem able to gain the upper hand over his opponent, author of a recital. Better on the fly, better on the return, the Russian disgusted his counterpart in almost all sectors. We understood better this evening why this man had been world number two among Juniors. Less why he is vegetating at 26 in the soft underbelly of the ATP rankings, even if he reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon this summer for the first time.
“I didn’t feel good on the court. In the game, I didn’t move well. I had good quality shots. But physically, in terms of movement, I really have to improve a lot,” regretted Alcaraz.
The organizers of the tournament, director Cédric Pioline in the lead, had not really anticipated this scenario. Some were salivating in anticipation of a final on Sunday against Djokovic, the kind of meeting that often borders on the sublime. It won’t happen. After skipping Basel last week due to pain in his left arch, the 20-year-old star is seriously worried this fall. He had already lost in the round of 16 in Shanghai three weeks ago against Gregor Dimitrov.
“Today, I am not in the right state of mind to speak”
As for the city of Paris, it definitely did not suit him. At Roland-Garros, still no final on the clock for the Iberian. The double Grand Slam winner (US Open, Wimbledon) still stumbles in the final four. As for Bercy, after being knocked down by Gaston in the 3rd round in 2021, Alcaraz had to give up against Rune in the quarterfinals last year.
“I think this tournament holds a lot of surprises because, as it is the end of the season, the players are tired. I have to find a solution so that in the coming years, I will be better at this time,” he analyzed directly, visibly stunned by this setback. He knows it, the Turin Masters (ATP Finals), scheduled for November 12 to 19, will arrive very quickly. “Today, I’m not in the right frame of mind to talk. After this defeat, I need to take a step back before starting to think about the days to come and what I have to do or what I am going to do. But we still have time before the ATP Finals. »
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