Former ATP pro analyzes Carlos Alcaraz’s evolutions after he faces ‘ups and downs’ in Monte Carlo Masters final
Carlos Alcaraz came from a set down against Lorenzo Musetti to capture his sixth Masters 1000 title at the Monte Carlo Masters.
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Carlos Alcaraz (via Instagram/ATP)
Carlos Alcaraz faced ups and downs against an injured Lorenzo Musetti in the final of the recently concluded iteration of the Monte-Carlo Masters. The Spaniard was able to win just three games in the first set.
But Alcaraz made an emphatic comeback in the second set, restricting Musetti to just one game. In the third set, Alcaraz registered his second bagel of the tournament, winning his first title at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Prior to the final, the 21-year-old dropped a set twice in his previous rounds. He kick-started his campaign against Francisco Cerundolo in the second round, during which he handed a bagel to the Argentine in the second set. Former Australian Open semifinalist Nicolas Escude analyzed Alcaraz’s campaign and explained how the youngster changes the momentum when it’s not in his favor.
It’s interesting to see Carlos’s evolution and how he’s been able to handle this tournament. It’s often been said that he can have ups and downs. These ups can be almost unattainable, but his level of play can also drop very, very low.
Nicolas Escude told Eurosport
Musetti was dealing with pain in his right leg and later said he would undergo scans. Because of the injury, he withdrew from the Barcelona Open, where he was projected to meet the four-time Grand Slam champion again in the final.
We saw it in the semis against [Alejandro] Davidovich Fokina, he may have been held up at times, but in tough situations, he’ll slow down a bit, work his opponent a lot harder, and physically try to make a greater impact, something he did again in this final.
Nicolas Escude added
Escude said when Alcaraz takes control of the game, it’s nearly impossible to beat him. It was Alcaraz’s second title of the season, following the Rotterdam Open, which was his first indoor hard court title.
Carlos Alcaraz says Rafael Nadal’s achievements on clay is the most complicated in sports
Carlos Alcaraz has become the first player from Spain to lift the Monte Carlo Masters since Rafael Nadal, who is the most successful player in the tournament, having lifted 11 titles, including eight consecutive ones between 2005 and 2012. The 22-time Grand Slam champion last lifted the title in 2018.
According to Alcaraz, what Nadal achieved on clay is the “most complicated thing in sport in general“. Alcaraz wants to follow in Nadal’s footsteps and claim more titles in Monte Carlo, and he has also expressed his hopes to play the tournament for 10 or 15 years.
Winning the same tournament 11 times, 14 Roland Garros, the best tournaments in the world, is impossible to repeat. We’ll see how many I can get. If I stick with just one, I’ll be happy.
Carlos Alcaraz said at the press conference
It was Alcaraz’s sixth Masters 1000 title and his first in 13 months following the 2024 Indian Wells. Alcaraz, who improved his head-to-head record over Lorenzo Musetti to 4-1, has replaced Alexander Zverev to become the World No.2 as the German has been dealing with a dip in form and lost his first match in The Principality.
Alcaraz will next participate at the Barcelona Open, where he is scheduled to meet Ethan Quinn in the first round on April 15. It will be their first encounter on the ATP Tour. The World No.2 could lose his position in the rankings table again if he suffers an early exit and Zverev ends up winning the BMW Open.
Last year on the clay swing, Alcaraz took home his first French Open title by beating the World No.3 in five sets. He also came close to winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics but lost a thrilling final to Novak Djokovic.
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