Carlos Alcaraz comes first to the counter and books his favoritism with fans at every event, without fail. The Spaniard, currently marking his attendance at the Shanghai Masters, has overcome his dropped form. Following his Olympics heartbreak, wherein he lost the elusive gold to Novak Djokovic – Alcaraz flew off the handle. His Cincinnati Masters title defense ended early. Later, hopes for a successful US Open campaign ended with him smashing his racket to bits—however, the former World No. 1 seldom evades fans’ love.

The Spanish sensation arrived in Shanghai after registering a thrilling victory over arch-rival Jannik Sinner in the summit clash of the China Open. Aiming for a noteworthy Asian hardcourt swing, Alcaraz downed formidable challenges to book a berth in the last eight. In the previous round, the young talent extended his winning streak by outclassing Frenchman Gael Monfils. Naturally, fans can’t keep themselves from crying his praises or cheering for him- even if things take a hilarious turn.

Ahead of his QFs clash with Tomas Machac on Thursday, October 10, Alcaraz took to the court for a practice session. What came next was hardly expected by anyone. In a video uploaded on X, fans were relentlessly chanting the Spaniard’s name. Visibly distracted by their support, Alcaraz’s hopes for returning the favor to fans hit an amusing snag after he accidentally bumped into a tournament official while entering the court. However, the Spanish star was quick to apologize as he walked onto the court with all smiles. “sorry, sorry..sorry, sorry”, he said turning back.

On the flip side, Novak Djokovic stumbled upon a problematic issue with fans in Shanghai. Owing to a mix-up at the airport, the Serb was unable to meet fans awaiting his first arrival in China in five years. “I am in China after five years and I miss you. I’m so sorry, really sorry that we didn’t meet at the airport yesterday,” Djokovic was heard saying in a video posted to social media.

For those unaware, the ATP 1000 Masters event has been under fire from players. First Frances Tiafoe and now, Djokovic, lamented over a new serve clock rule in Shanghai. While a pacifist Nole civilly addressed the issue, the latest regulation led Tiafoe to engage in a heated disagreement with the chair umpire after bowing out in the second round.

As for Alcaraz, the Spaniard isn’t looking to let these issues thwart his quest. However, an injury setback might disable those chances. The 21-year-old recently expressed struggling with a minor knock in Shanghai.

Carlos Alcaraz complains about physical issues days after China Open title

Spanish superstar Carlos Alcaraz is one of the few players lucky enough to evade an injury-marred season on the tour. But, with back-to-back showdowns and extensive on-court commitments, minor setbacks are naturally expected. Subsequently, the young talent addressed struggling with a physical concern after downing Wu Yibing in the second round.

In an-court interview, the former World No. 1 revealed that: “Well, I’m feeling great. Honestly, I’m feeling some pain in some part of the body, but what is normal for tennis players, you know, we have to deal with it. I’m feeling great.” Similarly, Sinner fought a grueling battle against Tomas Martin Etcheverry but ultimately prevailed in three sets. The Italian emphasized the importance of rest and recovery following such a demanding match.

“I’m just happy to be part of these kind of matches as always and, you know, it’s, for sure, was something good. But also it’s important for me that the day for tomorrow, I have one day off, which I need to recover, it’s, for me, trying to prioritize this kind of thing now, and hopefully be ready for after tomorrow,” Sinner said.

Nonetheless, while the Spaniard optimistically assured that the pain is regular in his line of work, fans will only hope that it doesn’t cause trouble for the four-time major winner. After all, his much-awaited Davis Cup Final 8 and ATP Finals participation are right next in line.