Carlos Alcaraz stumbles in Paris Masters, opening the door for Novak Djokovic
Posted : 01 November 2023
Carlos Alcaraz's bid to finish the year as the world number one in tennis faced an unexpected setback in the Paris Masters as he suffered a surprising opening-round defeat to Roman Safiullin. The world number two, Alcaraz, who had received a bye in the first round, was defeated by the 45th-ranked Safiullin with a score of 6-3, 6-4. The Russian qualifier put on a stellar performance, leaving Alcaraz struggling to find solutions in a performance that fell below his usual standards.
This loss presents a significant challenge for Alcaraz in his pursuit to overtake Novak Djokovic and claim the top spot in the rankings before the season concludes. Alcaraz, who had won Wimbledon earlier in July, capturing his second Grand Slam title, had to withdraw from the Basel tournament last week due to an injury.
In his first competitive appearance since being eliminated in the Shanghai Masters round of 16 on October 11, the 20-year-old Alcaraz did manage to secure a break in each set. However, Safiullin made an impressive recovery, applying pressure on Alcaraz's second serve and showcasing strong net play, ultimately achieving the most significant win of his career based on rankings.
Reflecting on his victory, Safiullin mentioned the necessity to elevate his performance against an opponent like Carlos Alcaraz, highlighting the importance of strategy, physicality, and mental fortitude. Safiullin's triumph sets up a clash with fellow Russian Karen Khachanov in the tournament's round of 16.
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