World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz shares honest take after slow start in Monte-Carlo Masters 1000

After the early exit of Alexander Zverev, who was defeated by Matteo Berrettini, and considering the suspension still affecting World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz is now the top favorite to claim the title at the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000. However, he had a rough start and was candid about his performance.

“I didn’t start well. I made a lot of mistakes and I let him play inside the court, dominating the points,” Alcaraz admitted about his performance at the start of the match against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo. However, the World No. 3 soon found his rhythm and went on to win 3-6, 6-0, 6-1.

“After the first set, I just knew that I had to do something else, play more aggressively, and play my own tennis: drop shots, going to the net, and more aggression,” explained the Spanish star about the keys to his victory. “The most important change was the return; I tried to return closer to the line and push him.”

With this win, Alcaraz advanced to the third round of the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000, where he will face Daniel Altmaier. The German, currently ranked World No. 84, reached this stage after defeating Richard Gasquet 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in his tournament opener.

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain on court as he plays against Quentin Halys of France in their second round match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.

Monte-Carlo is a big opportunity for Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz was unable to compete in the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 due to physical issues. This means he has no points to defend here, giving him a significant advantage over his top-ranked competitors.

see also

Carlos Alcaraz makes big revelation about Jannik Sinner’s suspension: ‘That pressure has killed me in some way’

Alexander Zverev reached the round of 16 at this event last year, so his early exit this time will cost him valuable points. Jannik Sinner, who made it to the semifinals, will lose even more points. This means that if Alcaraz can make a deep run in Monte-Carlo, he could close the gap with World No. 1 and potentially even overtake Zverev.

More surprises at Monte-Carlo

Alexander Zverev wasn’t the only top ATP player to suffer an unexpected loss in his Monte-Carlo debut. Novak Djokovic, the current World No. 5, also exited the tournament early after a surprising 6-3, 6-4 loss to Alejandro Tabilo.

After the match, Djokovic reflected on his disappointing early elimination from the Monte-Carlo Masters with an honest message. “I expected myself at least to have put in a decent performance. Not like this, it was horrible,” said the Serbian star.