Posted by Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday August 16, 2024
When Carlos Alcaraz entered 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 rain-stopped second round and went on to eliminate Alcaraz in three sets, 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4.
It was embarrassing to see the 21-year-old four-time champion hit the racket early in the third set. He was resting and hoping to burn himself, but it didn't happen.
“I don't know what happened. I couldn't help myself. I couldn't get better. So this game, it was impossible to win, and that's all,” he told the media.
“You want to win this game” 👀#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/QkiDhvNHtw
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 16, 2024
Worst game of my career
Alcaraz, who was Cincinnati's second-ranked point guard, 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 really play. “I have been practicing very well for this competition in the past few days. I felt good about hitting the ball clearly, I'm moving well.”
The Spaniard, who won major titles at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon this year, before winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, says Cincinnati's Center Court was playing faster than he remembered, and it had an impact on his performance.
“I felt that it was another game that was played in the middle court than in other courts,” he said. “The balls were faster in the center field, hitting more than in other fields. As I told the truth, I came here thinking that I feel good, that I will go [play] good tennis because I'm used to playing on this court. I know how to play in this field, but I felt like it [it was a] a completely different place, a completely different game.
“It was the worst game I have ever played in my career”
Alcaraz shows his hard loss by Monfils at #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 in this game,” he said. “So I want to forget it, and try to move on to New York. I will go to New York and I will try to practice well, to get used to those courts. And I will forget this game, because I think I won't be able to get good things from this game.”
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