After dropping the fourth game of the third set Friday, and after being tied with Monfils at one set apiece, Alcaraz slammed his racket into the ground four times — causing it to twist and lose its original shape.
Carlos Alcaraz smashes his racket during an Aug. 16 loss at the Cincinnati Open. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Pido perdón porque mi actitud de ayer no fue correcta y es algo que no debería hacerse dentro de una pista. Soy humano, tenía acumulación de nervios dentro y a veces es muy complicado controlarse cuando estás con las pulsaciones tan altas. Trabajaré para que no vuelva a… pic.twitter.com/YR0dRJhTxX
“I apologize because my attitude yesterday was not correct and it is something that should not be done on the track,” Alcaraz wrote in his apology on X , according to a translated version. “I am human, I had a lot of nerves inside and sometimes it is very difficult to control yourself when your heart rate is so high. I will work so that it does not happen again. Time to think about NYC!”
Alcaraz, one of the top active tennis players in the world and previously ranked No. 1, told reporters after his 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 loss to Monfils that Friday felt like “the worst match that I’ve ever played.”
He earned a bye through the Round of 64 and into the Round of 32, but Alcaraz, who has already won four Grand Slam titles entering the U.S. Open that starts Aug. 26, couldn’t advance further than that.
“I’ve been practicing really well,” Alcaraz told reporters after his loss. “I was feeling great. But I couldn’t play. I want to forget it and try to move on to New York.”
Carlos Alcaraz smashed his racket in frustration during an Aug. 16 match at the Cincinnati Open. USA TODAY Sports
He also advanced to the gold medal match in the 2024 Olympics, but Djokovic topped Alcaraz in straight sets — forcing the 21-year-old from Spain to settle for a silver medal.
While the draw for the U.S. Open hasn’t been revealed yet, Alcaraz will again enter the tournament as one of the top seeds.
Last year, he lost just one set across the first five rounds before falling to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals.
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