Carlos Alcaraz faced a moment on Friday that left fans and pundits alike in shock. Fresh off the glory of his two Grand Slam victories and his maiden Olympic medal win, Alcaraz seemed unstoppable. But tennis, with all its highs, also comes with moments that can humble even the greatest. As his match against Gael Monfils slipped away, frustration began to mount, and in a rare display of emotion, Alcaraz’s composure cracked. The crowd watched, stunned, as the young champion, known for his fierce determination, found himself in a moment of helplessness on the court.

Alcaraz started the match with a remarkable first-set victory. However he failed to keep momentum intact and after being pushed to the third set, he was 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 against the ground, which left it deformed. The gesture took the crowd by surprise as the young champ unleashed his rarely-seen side. Adding to the list of surprised people is the Frenchman Corentin Moutet, who took a dig at Alcaraz. 

Reposting a video by Tennis TV on X that read, “He desperately wants to win this match.” Moutet expressed his views, “When I do it I’ve got “mental issue” 😂.” While the message was accompanied by a laughing emoji, it can certainly be regarded as a subtle dig at Alcaraz and the double standards of public perception.

Moutet is known for his short-tempered nature and portraying similar gestures on the courts often. He has been called out many times in the past for his aggressive behavior. One such incident unfolded in the US Open last year.

Playing against Andy Murray in the first round, Moutet demanded ‘pickle juice’ after suffering from cramps. When he was denied the same by the umpire, the Frenchman was seen immensely furious. Moutet was seen crumbling after he lost his chance in the match and was resorting to aggressive gestures. He also received a violation in the second set for smashing his racket and his actions drew widespread flak from the tennis enthusiasts. 

A similar scene unfolded with Alcaraz, but to a much lesser intensity. His defeat has raised concerning alarms ahead of the US Open, where he might face similar conditions.

Can Alcaraz overcome the hardcourt challenge at the US Open?

Alcaraz engaged in the post-match interview and reflected upon the challenges he faced during the match. “Honestly, it was very very tough for me. I felt like it was the worst match that I ever played on my career.” Continuing further, he highlighted the modified court conditions that impacted his performance. 

“Probably, it felt like it was another sport playing on the Centre court than the other, other courts. The balls were faster on the, on the center court, bouncing much, much more than other courts,” he said further. The court pace index has also reflected similar aspects. 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.

In such a situation as this, it would be interesting to see if Alcaraz can defy the odds and win another US Open this season.