Carlos Alcaraz maintained his winning streak on Wednesday, Oct 9. He earned his 12th consecutive victory to advance to the quarter-finals at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
Alcaraz fought hard for a 6-4, 7-5 win over Gael Monfils. With this victory, he became the first Spaniard to reach the last eight at this tournament since 2017. Alcaraz now has a 3-1 record against Monfils in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, Medialord reports.
“The main thing I tried in this match was to stay calm, to control my emotions and wait for my chances,” said Alcaraz. He improved his season record to 51-9. “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.’”
Carlos Alcaraz felt this approach helped him show his best tennis. He stated, “I am feeling the ball really well, much more than I was during the American swing. So, I am happy to be able to do it and keep going.”
Carlos Alcaraz battles Monfils
Monfils, who beat Alcaraz at the Cincinnati Open, aimed to repeat that success. The 38-year-old sought to become the second-oldest ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finalist in history. However, Carlos Alcaraz had other plans. He displayed his skill to outmaneuver Monfils during intense exchanges. Alcaraz won 88% of points at the net, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
The first set showcased powerful groundstrokes from both players. Carlos Alcaraz faced the first break point in the sixth game. Although Monfils seemed in control, he lost focus, allowing Alcaraz to break in the ninth game.
In the second set, Monfils struck two strong forehand winners. This pushed the score back to deuce, raising tension in the crowd. Nevertheless, Carlos Alcaraz kept his composure and escaped unscathed.
He faces Machac next
Alcaraz has built on his game to secure a decisive break in the next match. The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings sealed his victory on serve in one hour and 27 minutes. This win set up a quarter-final clash with Tomas Machac, who ousted eleventh seed Tommy Paul.
Carlos Alcaraz is also on track to meet Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals. Sinner recently battled past Ben Shelton. Alcaraz defeated Sinner last Wednesday to claim the China Open title, his fourth title of the season.
“It’s a great goal to reach the semi-finals, let’s see if he can make it as well,” said Alcaraz. He leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 6-4. “I’ve been watching his matches before mine, he’s playing at a great level, and it helps me to put on a good show before I step on the court.”
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