Carlos Alcaraz has been riding high on the waves of success, fresh off back-to-back Grand Slam victories and a sparkling silver medal from the Paris Olympics. At just 21, he’s been a force to reckon with, his confidence soaring with every match. But then came the Cincinnati Open, where Gael Monfils threw a curveball that even Alcaraz couldn’t see coming. As Alcaraz heads towards the US Open, this defeat has raised some serious questions. Is there a crack in his armor?

Monfils ousted the Spanish sensation in the second round at the Cincinnati Masters in three sets 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. The match, which was earlier suspended due to rain, finally resumed with some ray of excitement for Monfils. Despite leading the match with one set up against Monfils, Alcaraz failed to continue the momentum and conceded a shocking defeat in his first hard-court match of the season. But what concerns the tennis community more is his worrying admission about the speed of the hard courts.  

In the post-match presser, Alcaraz reflected upon where he faltered. “Honestly, it was very very tough for me. I felt like it was the worst match that I ever played in my career. Couldn’t, couldn’t play, honestly. I have been practicing really well here in this tournament. The previous days I was feeling great, hitting the ball clear, you know, moving well.” Alcaraz has an incredible record on the hard courts. 

Besides winning the US Open in 2022, Alcaraz advanced to the finals of the Cincinnati Masters in 2023. Additionally, he reached the semifinals in last year’s US Open as well. Hence, the defeat cannot be easy for him to digest. But Friday’s match was definitely something that the Spaniard would wish to forget as soon as possible. “Probably, it felt like it was another sport playing on the Center court than the other, other courts. The balls were faster on the, on the center court, bouncing much, much more than other courts,” he added further. The court pace index has also reflected similar aspects.

In a post shared by tennis commentator and journalist Jose Morgado, the Court Pace index value at the Cincinnati Masters has increased from 34.6 in 2023 to 42.5 in the current season. While these figures are from the Grandstand, other courts, including the Centre Court, have also demonstrated similar changes. Interestingly, some reports have also suggested that the US Open courts will behave in a similar manner and will showcase similar speed patterns. 

Hence, for Alcaraz, this defeat is also a reality check of his preparedness ahead of the US Open. Considering the fact that he failed to overcome the pace and bounce challenges at Cincinnati, winning in New York would be quite a task for him. This defeat, meanwhile, has also unveiled an unexpected and unseen side of the star player that was witnessed on Friday. 

Alcaraz’s hardly-seen trait unveiled by shocking defeat

Certain defeats tend to create an extensive toll on the mindset of players, and the match against Monfils turned out to be similar for Alcaraz. Known for his usually calm and composed demeanor, the 21-year-old was seen extremely agitated during the match, which surprised many in the tennis community. 

Alcaraz started the match with a remarkable first-set victory. However, he failed to keep the momentum intact, and after being pushed for the third set, the star player was seen furious. The Spaniard lost his cool after giving up on a point. This resulted in an act full of rage on the courts of Cincinnati. The 21-year-old was seen smashing his racket several times, which left it deformed. The gesture took the crowd by surprise as the young champ unleashed his rarely-discovered side.

Although Alcaraz tried to regain momentum to take control of the match, Monfils took advantage of the opportunity. He managed to win the third set, eventually eliminating the Spaniard from the event. As the Spaniard now eyes another US Open title, it would be interesting to see if he can overcome the challenges posed by modified court conditions. Can he win big at the Flushing Meadows? Only time will tell.