Carlos Alcaraz, the fiery young Spaniard, has finally exacted the revenge he’s been craving, edging out French dynamo Gael Monfils in a gripping fourth-round clash at the 2024 Shanghai Masters. The 21-year-old third seed pulled off a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 victory, but it was far from the ‘crushing’ defeat that Monfils had modestly predicted for himself before the match.
Despite being 38 and no longer a regular on the ATP tour, Monfils reminded the world of his enduring magic, showcasing a level of tennis that thrilled fans and even forced Alcaraz to dig deeper than expected. The stage for this showdown was set after their previous clash in Cincinnati, where Monfils had toppled Alcaraz in what the young phenom later called “the worst match of [his] tennis career.”
Alcaraz entered the Shanghai match with renewed energy and a clear objective: redeem that Cincinnati defeat. Monfils, however, wasn’t about to go quietly, keeping his composure and serving with precision, a whopping 70% first-serve rate and 10 aces keeping the young Spaniard at bay. In the first set, the Frenchman even had a break-point chance, leading 3-2, only to see it slip away, giving Alcaraz the opening he needed to break through later, winning the set 6-4.
The second set mirrored the first, with Monfils holding his own and even threatening to turn the tables. Alcaraz faced two separate 0-40 deficits, but his newfound calm allowed him to claw his way back. After multiple saved break points, he finally broke Monfils to lead 6-5 and confidently served out the match, securing his spot in the quarterfinals. Awaiting him is the winner of the clash between 11th-seeded Tommy Paul and the resurgent Tomas Machac, with a potential semi-final showdown against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner or Daniil Medvedev looming.
Reflecting on his win, Alcaraz credited his success to staying calm and patient, two qualities that helped him maintain composure even as Monfils pressured him on his serve. “The main thing I tried is to stay calm. Just to control my emotions,” Alcaraz shared after the match. “I tried to stay as calm as I could during the match. That helped me a lot to show my best tennis during the whole match.”
In a week packed with thrilling action in Shanghai, Alcaraz’s victory over Monfils might just be the turning point in his campaign. With his confidence soaring, the Spaniard looks poised to continue his Shanghai quest, aiming to conquer yet another Masters title on his rapidly growing resume.
