Carlos Alcaraz avenged Gael Monfils at the Shanghai Masters after the Frenchman shocked him in Cincinnati.
Beijing Open champion Carlos Alcaraz moved to his 12th consecutive win after rallying past a stoic Gael Monfils in Shanghai.
The 21-year-old was forced to produce some of his best tennis as the French veteran once again pushed him to delve into the reserves.
In a match of bruising ball-striking matched with delicate hands, the world number two marched into the quarter-finals, extending his head-to-head record over Monfils to 3-1.
After having been shocked in Cincinnati – a loss that spiralled into a premature US Open exit – Alcaraz made sure history was not to repeat itself.
What change has Carlos Alcaraz noticed in his game recently?
A clinical ball-striker, the 21-year-old is no one-trick pony, with all the guile and touch of a seasoned ATP pro of old.
Having moved past the prospect of another Monfils-induced wobble, Alcaraz admitted his relief at the overall performance, as per the ATP.
The main thing I tried in this match was to stay calm, to control my emotions and wait for my chances,” said Alcaraz, who now moves to 51 wins this season.
“I had a few opportunities to break his serve at the beginning of the second set [and] I couldn’t take them. In those times, I tried to stay calm and think ‘I am going to have more’. That helped me a lot to show my best tennis during the match.”
With nearly everything seemingly abandoning him after a painful Olympic defeat in Paris, Alcaraz has explained what he’s doing much better now compared to his time in North America.
“I am feeling the ball really well, much more than I was during the American swing,” he explained. “So, I am happy to be able to do it and keep going.”
Who does Carlos Alcaraz play next at the Shanghai Masters?
Alcaraz, who is now into his 14th ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final, is set to face Czechia’s rising star Tomas Machac, who he recently faced at the Davis Cup.
In Spanish colours, Alcaraz lost the first set against an ailing Machac, who later retired after the tie was levelled.
Machac recovered from a set down in his fourth-round tie against America’s Tommy Paul in just over two hours on Wednesday.
The pair have only met the once, however with the Czech number one currently at a career-high, Alcaraz will know he’s got his work cut out yet again.
Eking through at the Davis Cup has left us with little to analyse ahead of their upcoming contest, however, with Alcaraz on a roll and eyeing up another match against Jannik Sinner, you’d be daft to bet against him.
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