Carlos Alcaraz explains his rant with chair umpire after getting time violations at the China Open
Carlos Alcaraz has been extremely vocal about a few scenarios in the tennis world, which is totally opposite of his personality.
Carlos Alcaraz (Image via Imago)
Carlos Alcaraz is known for delivering exciting moments on the tennis court. However, during his match on Thursday, September 26, at the China Open, the attention was on something negative. The former World No.1 received two violations from the chair umpire, Raluca Alexandra Andrei, in his opening round against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
After winning the match in straight sets, Alcaraz talked about what happened with the umpire. He also shared the reasons behind the time violations. This situation reminded him of a similar issue at the Queen’s Club Championships in June when he had a long discussion with umpire Mohamed Lahyani about time rules.
When you’re playing against a server like him, I know that every return game is very difficult. That’s why, when I saved three break points and eventually won the set, it was very important to me. I was angry because of what happened, as I felt I had no time between points.
Carlos Alcaraz said in the post-match press conference (H/T: Punto de Break)
Lately, Alcaraz has been vocal about the tough tour schedule. This includes the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics and the recent Laver Cup in Berlin. He has mentioned how demanding the year has been for him.
I had to rush, and I couldn’t take the time to breathe or rest. I finished a point at the net and didn’t have time to get my towel and go through my routine. That made me angry. He made three double faults at the start of the second set, which helped me. I had to stay very focused in the following games.
Carlos Alcaraz added
According to the rules, players have 25 seconds to prepare between points. The first violation results in a warning, and the second in a point penalty. When Alcaraz received his second violation during a key point in the first set, he showed his frustration by tossing the ball away before confronting the umpire.
Carlos Alcaraz wins the opener at the China Open
Carlos Alcaraz faced a tough test in his first match at the China Open in Beijing, taking on Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, known for his powerful serve. The top seed quickly adapted and secured a 6-4, 6-4 victory in the first round of the ATP 500 event.
Alcaraz broke Perricard’s serve early in both sets, which helped him win the match in just 81 minutes. The Frenchman had an impressive 83 percent win rate on his first serve, but crucial mistakes at the start of each set cost him the match.
This was Alcaraz’s third match against a younger player on the ATP Tour, bringing his season record to 44-9. The Spaniard, who already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals, will now face Tallon Griekspoor in the second round. Alcaraz hopes to make a strong run in Beijing to challenge Jannik Sinner for the Year-End No. 1 spot. He can move to second place in the Live Race if he reaches the semi-finals, trailing Sinner by 2,990 points.
Fahad Hamid
(341 Articles Published)