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Alcaraz on Machac loss: 'I felt like I was playing a Top-5 player'

  • Posted: Oct 10, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz admits to have had no response to the blistering tennis thrown at him Thursday by Tomas Machac, who upset the World No. 2 in the quarter-finals of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

Alcaraz’s 12-match winning streak came to an abrupt end in a 7-6(5), 7-5 defeat at the hands of Machac, who claimed his second win over a Top-5 player (Djokovic, Geneva SF). It was a winning streak that included the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash at the Davis Cup last month, in which Machac was forced to retire at one set apiece.

As he did when representing Czechia, Machac took the opening set in a tie-break in Shanghai, but the 23-year-old made no mistake of closing it out in straight sets, exuding extreme confidence throughout.

“I felt like I was playing against a Top-5 player,” said Alcaraz, who suffered his first defeat since his second-round exit at the US Open. “Not even Top 10, no, Top 5. His level was so high. I thought that he was going to give me an opportunity, a window, but he didn’t.

“From the first game until the last one, his level was so high. His ball speed, it was unbelievable. Honestly, I felt good on the court, I felt the ball really well, I was hitting well, I was moving well. But, at some points, I didn’t know what to do.”

Alcaraz showed signs of a second-set fightback after he had retrieved the break back, but Machac kept his foot on the gas to dismantle the Spaniard’s serve for a second time before serving out the victory with ease.

“It was unbelievable, it was crazy for me,” added Alcaraz. “He was pushing me to the limit all the time that I was thinking that I had to put the right ball in the right place all the time. If not, I was going to run everywhere, or he was going to make a winner. So I think that the pressure he put [on] me was the key in the match.”

Alcaraz, who has qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, is next scheduled to play the Rolex Paris Masters after slipping to 51-10 on the season.

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Federer headlines social media reaction to Nadal's retirement announcement

  • Posted: Oct 10, 2024

Rafael Nadal announced on Thursday that he will retire following this year’s Davis Cup Finals in November.

Stars from tennis and beyond quickly took to social media to congratulate the Spaniard on his unforgettable career. Roger Federer, who played his final match alongside Nadal at the 2022 Laver Cup, led the way with a message.

“What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come,” Federer wrote in an Instagram comment. “Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It’s been an absolute honour!”

Casper Ruud, who played doubles with the Spaniard in Bastad earlier this year, wrote: “RAFA Forever!!” Ruud wrote. “Thank you for everything legend.”

Andy Roddick and Fernando Verdasco were among the other stars who shared their thoughts on the lefty’s announcement.

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