Carlos Alcaraz admitted he played “really bad” as he was sent packing in the third round of the Shanghai Masters. The No. 2 seed suffered a 7-5 7-6(4) defeat to unseeded Belgian Zizou Bergs, a result that came as a huge shock despite the tournament historically being one of the Spaniard’s less successful events. Alcaraz missed the event last year.
Alcaraz rues errors and 'lucky' moments
Alcaraz struggled throughout the two-hour match and became animated as he ranted to his team about the conditions. He made 25 unforced errors and hit two double faults, and admitted he was left so desperate that he hoped to get “lucky” with some shots.
“Today it wasn't a good match for my side. I didn't play good. I would say it was a really bad level for me, and it was a really good level from him,” the world No. 3 declared.
“I would say, even like that, I think it was a close match. I would say, in few important moments I didn't play my best. I could say there were a few moments that he was lucky as well, that's what I think.”
'Everything' wrong with his game
Alcaraz said Bergs made the most of those moments, adding: “You know, some returns, some shots he hit it with the frame, it went in, and he just went into the point again. He made the most of those moments because after that, I would say, lucky shot, he played a really good point. He played a really good level in some moments.
“I would say, I was asking for a lucky toss, you know, in the match in some specific moments, but it didn't come. And I would say tennis, it is what it is. [In] some moments he made the most of his chances, he took the chances, and that's it. All I can say right now is, I got to be back home, I got to be ready for next, and I got to be on the practice [courts] once again, and trying to play better in the next tournament.”
Asked what he wasn’t happy with, Alcaraz replied: “Well, I would say everything. To be honest, I didn't play the way that I wanted to play, a lot of mistakes.
“I didn't find a good position on the return. For example, I was returning pretty well. Today I didn't find a good one. Obviously credit to him. I would say he serves really, really well.
“But when I got into the rhythm, when I got into the point, I made a lot of mistakes. I wasn't feeling comfortable with the shots. So I'm really disappointed from today's match, because I didn't find the solution. I would say I just made a lot of unforced errors.”
Focus turns to positives from comeback
Alcaraz only returned from a four-and-a-half-month wrist injury layoff in late August. Since then, he has reached the quarter-finals of the US Open, won two matches at the Laver Cup, and defended his Tokyo title. The 23-year-old is currently focusing on the negatives but knows there are plenty of positives from his comeback.
“I mean, I played great tournaments. Obviously taking the positive things from today is really difficult. Right now, I didn't take it yet,” he explained. “So I will try the next few days to think clearly. Right now, you know, all the negative thoughts comes to my mind and none of the positives. But I think I will take it, you know, the good things about having the matches.”
