Carlos Alcaraz says that his surprise withdrawal at the Monte Carlo Masters was not due to his meteoric rise to stardom, which has him pegged as a potential Grand Slam winner and world number one.
In their second round match on Wednesday, the 18-year-old Spaniard was surprised 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 by American Sebastian Korda.
Alcaraz has just returned from winning the prestigious Miami Masters.
In a spectacular clay court duel that lasted just over three hours, the world number 11 was outgunned by Korda.
“I’m a bit disappointed with myself. I had a lot of chances to be up in the match and close to winning, but these losses are sometimes good to live. You have to play matches,” Alcaraz said.
“But I didn’t think about the expectations that the people have for me. I just focused on me and what I have to do. But as I said, you have to play more matches on clay courts.”
Alcaraz is the tournament’s second major name to exit, following world number one Novak Djokovic, who also lost his first round match on Tuesday. In Wednesday’s loss, Alcaraz made 36 unforced errors.
“It’s not easy to get your bearings on clay,” he added.
“It was a difficult match, but I feel mentally ready to play these types of matches, long and tight.
“I am ready to return to training and focus on the next tournaments.”
Korda — ranked 42 in the world and like Alcaraz competing at Monte Carlo for the first time — will play fellow American and Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz in the next round.
“I’m very comfortable on clay. I grew up on green clay in Florida,” said Korda, 21, whose lone career title came on the surface in Parma last year.
“So I know how to play on clay, I move quite well, I feel good there.”
Next up is a last-16 clash with Fritz who defeated Marin Cilic 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Russia’s fifth seed Andrey Rublev, the runner-up in 2021, came back to defeat Alex de Minaur of Australia 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
German Alexander Zverev, the second seed, saw off Federico Delbonis of Argentina, 6-1, 7-5.
Sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime was also a loser Wednesday, falling to 83rd-ranked Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-2, 7-6 (7/2).
“I live here and practice here,” said Musetti who made the last 16 at the French Open in 2021 where he lost to Djokovic from two sets up.
“My backhand down the line was a key to many of my great shots. After a really good first set, he came back with such powerful serving, but I was calm and patient and that was the most beautiful thing about today.”
Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain defeated British seventh seed Cameron Norrie 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
However, Italian ninth seed Jannik Sinner defeated Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori 7-5, 6-3 and will face Rublev in the quarter-finals.
