For the first time this season, the Wimbledon Champion, Carlos Alcaraz has suffered four consecutive defeats and would not achieve his 13th quarterfinals from 14 events in 2023. Given his goal to end the year as world No. 1, it seems likely that the defeat against Jannik Sinner at the China Open semifinals and loss to Grigor Dimitrov in the round of 16 of the Shanghai Open have dampened the youngster’s hope for the top spot finish.
Dimitrov earned his biggest win of the season when he upset Carlos Alcaraz 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. However, Alcaraz revealed that he learns from defeat and keeps improving.
Carlos Alcaraz talks about loss to Grigor Dimitrov
Carlos Alcaraz admitted his hopes of finishing the season as the world No. 1 were dealt a major blow after his loss to Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters.
The Spaniard was aiming to make a 13th quarter-final from 14 events in 2023 and got off to the perfect start when he took the first set. However, he couldn’t maintain his momentum and eventually succumbed 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to Dimitrov, who takes on Nicolas Jarry in the last eight as he goes in search of his first title since 2017.
When asked if he is confident that he can still achieve his goal, Alcaraz said, “After this loss, it’s going to be tougher. If I want to be No. 1, I have a few tournaments ahead so I will try to do my best. I will try to win them if I want to have a chance to end the year as No. 1. I don’t know, but right now I have a lost a lot of opportunities to make it.”
“After this loss, I mean, it’s not too much time ago, so I have to think about it, but I will take a lot of lessons to improve in the practice before the tournament that I have ahead. I think I’m playing great tennis. Even if I didn’t make the quarter-final or losing in the semi-final, I think I’m playing great tennis. So I have to practice a hundred percent in these weeks before Basel, that’s the next tournament for me, so I’ll try to make my best in that tournament”, Alcaraz added.
Carlos Alcaraz is set to be 2,240 points behind Novak Djokovic when the rankings are updated next Monday. However, Djokovic has far more points to defend in the latter part of the season, so all is not lost for Alcaraz.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Grigor Dimitrov head-to-head
Grigor Dimitrov earned his first win over Carlos Alcaraz 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Entering the match trailing the Spaniard 0-3 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, the Bulgarian produced a high-quality display at the hard-court event to turn the tables.
He timed the ball cleanly off both wings while using his backhand drop shot to great effect to tuck up Alcaraz, who was aiming to advance to his 13th quarter-final in 14 events in 2023. The 32-year-old Dimitrov struck 29 winners and responded well after relinquishing a 5-3 lead in the first set to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final of the year and 17th in his career after two hours and 10 minutes.
Dimitrov, who also reached the last eight in Shanghai in 2017, will next play 22nd seed Nicolas Jarry as he seeks his first title since his 2017 Nitto ATP Finals triumph.
Will Carlos Alcaraz be able to finish the year as World No. 1? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
