Carlos Alcaraz defeated China’s Wu Yibing in scintillating style to advance to the fourth-round of the Shanghai Masters.
Spain’s 21-year-old wunderkind earned his 11th consecutive win to dampen Chinese hopes of a home champion in Shanghai.
Carlos Alcaraz notched up his third win this year over world number one Jannik Sinner in the Beijing final last Wednesday.
Showing glimpses of such heroics, Alcaraz was forced to bring out his best against just one of many new growing Chinese stars.
A smart first-set tie-break win seemed to hamper Wu’s early buzz, with Alcaraz taking the second set far more conclusively 6-3.
Carlos Alcaraz makes ATP history after latest victory
No stranger to history-breaking, Alcaraz wrote himself into the record-books in Beijing, after becoming the first player in history to win an ATP 500 title on three different surfaces.
Since his shock exit to Botic van de Zandschulp at the US Open, he’s won two Davis Cup matches, two Laver Cup matches, five in Beijing and now his opening couple in Shanghai.
The 21-year-old has wasted little time in making yet more history. His victory on Sunday was his 50th of the year – an impressive feat in itself.
However, it becomes all the more remarkable when you realise that Alcaraz has won at least 50 matches in each of the last three years, having won 57 in 2022 and a whopping 65 in 2023.
Alcaraz is actually the only man to win 50 or more matches in each of the last three years. Two other men, Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, can potentially join the Spaniard as they’re the only two other men to have won 50 or more matches in both 2022 and 2023.
However, the pair are both under 40 this year and feel unlikely to tot up a swift ten wins anytime soon.
Only Iga Swiatek has won at least 50 matches in each of the last three years, with 67 in 2022 and 68 in 2023. The Pole is at 59 so far in 2024.
Who does Carlos Alcaraz play at the Shanghai Masters next?
Adored wherever he treads, Alcaraz is unfortunately set to become even more bothersome to the French.
After dumping them out of the Davis Cup, Alcaraz might face Ugo Humbert once again, with their match three weeks ago going the Spaniard’s way.
The pair also met at Wimbledon this year, with Alcaraz defeating Humbert en route to his second consecutive title.
French veteran Gael Monfils remains the other possible fourth-round opponent for Alcaraz – a slightly trickier prospect potentially.
Monfils shocked Alcaraz in Cincinnati in August with the world number two smashing his racquet in anger during the defeat.
Alcaraz, however, looks to have completely recovered from his North American wobble and looks eager to keep the winning streak alive.
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