Alcaraz Gets His Revenge Against Monfils And Closes Up On Sinner Blockbuster In Shanghai

Carlos Alcaraz got the revenge he likely desired by defeating Gael Monfils in the fourth round of the 2024 Shanghai Masters. Monfils, though not as active or successful as in his prime, still occasionally dazzles on the ATP Tour, even at 38. Earlier this year in Cincinnati, Monfils managed to pull off a surprise win against Alcaraz, winning in three sets, after which the young Spaniard admitted it was the worst match of his career.

Now, at the Shanghai Masters, the two met again in another ATP Masters 1000 tournament, setting the stage for their fourth-round encounter. Despite having beaten Alcaraz previously, Monfils was modest ahead of the match. He acknowledged that Alcaraz wasn’t at his best in their Cincinnati encounter and humbly predicted that the 21-year-old Spaniard would crush him this time around. Monfils even described Alcaraz as a “legend” at just 21 years old.

While Monfils’ prediction of his loss turned out to be correct, he certainly wasn’t crushed. The French veteran brought a solid level of play to the court, making the match competitive and resisting Alcaraz’s aggressive play.

In the first set, both players held their serves with relative ease, but Monfils had the first real chance to break Alcaraz’s serve. Leading 3-2 and 40-30 on Alcaraz’s serve, Monfils had a break point but was unable to convert it. This missed opportunity would prove costly, as a few games later, Alcaraz earned two chances to break Monfils’ serve. Monfils saved the first, but Alcaraz took advantage of the second, breaking Monfils and serving out the set 6-4.

In the second set, Monfils continued to play at a high level, but Alcaraz once again proved too strong. The turning point came in the fifth game when Alcaraz found himself down 0-40 but fought back to earn a break point. Despite Monfils’ powerful serving – he hit 10 aces and had a 70% first-serve percentage – Alcaraz was relentless. Although he couldn’t convert that break point, the same scenario played out a few games later. Down 0-40 once again, Alcaraz clawed his way back and eventually converted his third break point of the set to take a 6-5 lead.

Alcaraz, as cool and composed as ever, served out the match to win 6-4, 7-5, securing his spot in the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters. There, he awaits the winner of the match between 11th-seed Tommy Paul and 30th-seed Tomas Machac. If he progresses, Alcaraz could face either the current World No. 1, Jannik Sinner, or former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals.
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After the match, Alcaraz reflected on his performance, expressing satisfaction, particularly with his ability to stay calm under pressure. He emphasized the importance of controlling his emotions, especially during key moments in the match when he had opportunities to break Monfils’ serve.

“The main thing I tried was to stay calm. Just to control my emotions and wait for my chances. I had some opportunities to break his serve in the second set, but I didn’t take them. In those moments, I just tried to stay calm and remind myself that I would have more chances,” Alcaraz said.

“I focused on staying calm throughout the match. That helped me play my best tennis. I’m feeling the ball really well right now, much better than I did during the American swing. I’m just happy with how things are going, and I hope to keep it up.”