Carlos Alcaraz’s ambition to finish the season because the world’s No. 1 participant suffered a setback following his 6-3, 6-4 defeat to qualifier Roman Safiullin within the Paris Masters’ second spherical on Tuesday.
In his return from damage, Alcaraz dropped serve 4 occasions and made 27 unforced errors to 21 for Safiullin, a former world No. 2 junior.
“I did not feel well, you know, in the game,” Alcaraz told a news conference. “I believe I didn’t transfer nicely. In the photographs, I believe I had an excellent high quality of photographs. But, you understand, bodily, within the a part of motion, I’ve to enhance lots.”
The Spaniard was knocked out within the fourth spherical of the Shanghai Masters almost three weeks in the past and withdrew from the Swiss Indoors in Basel due to a left foot damage and muscle fatigue to his decrease again.
Alcaraz leads the ATP Tour with six titles this yr however has not lifted any trophy since Wimbledon. He appears to be operating on fumes currently due to his demanding type of play.
“Probably the season has been so, so long,” Alcaraz said. “Probably that impacts my recreation.”
The second-seeded Alcaraz and Safiullin traded breaks within the third and fourth video games. Alcaraz struggled to search out his vary and dropped serve at 4-3 with a poor recreation that included a double fault and two unforced errors. Safiullin hit a service winner and two backhand winners to seize the opening set.
Play was briefly interrupted to start with of the second set to change off a vivid pink mild underneath the roof of the world that troubled the gamers after they had been tossing the ball to serve.
Alcaraz rifled two consecutive return winners to interrupt for a 3-1 lead solely to see Safiullin break again within the subsequent recreation with a forehand move. Alcaraz dropped serve once more within the seventh recreation, hitting a forehand lengthy on the finish of a protracted rally. Safiullin transformed his second match level when Alcaraz despatched a forehand return huge.
“Even if he’s not in the very best form, it’s robust to beat him, so I’m actually blissful that I made it,” Safiullin instructed the ATP.
Last season, Alcaraz grew to become the youngest year-end No. 1 within the historical past of the ATP rankings. He is seeking to obtain the extraordinary feat of claiming two year-end No. 1 finishes at solely 20.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic had racked up 500 extra factors than Alcaraz this season earlier than the Paris Masters.
Djokovic won’t be able to clinch the year-end No. 1 spot in Paris since Alcaraz nonetheless will get 10 factors for his second-round defeat.
There are 1,000 factors for the Paris Masters winner and 1,500 factors for an ideal run on the ATP Finals.
Daniil Medvedev additionally has an outdoor probability of ending the season because the No. 1 participant.
The fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev, the Sixteenth-seeded Karen Khachanov, Tallon Griekspoor, Alexander Bublik and Daniel Altmaier additionally moved into the third spherical.
Rublev dispatched Yoshihito Nishioka 6-4, 6-3, Khachanov beat Laslo Djere 6-4, 7-5, Griekspoor routed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-2, 6-2, and Bublik edged Nicolas Jarry 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3).
Altmaier ousted Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4 within the first spherical however received a walkover into the third spherical as a result of his subsequent opponent, Taylor Fritz, withdrew due to an belly pressure.
The ninth-seeded Fritz obtained remedy on his stomach throughout the second set of his first-round win over Sebastian Baez on Monday.
“Devastated to have to pull out with so much on the line,” the American said on the social media platform X. “All I needed was the prospect to battle for my potential Turin spot however after getting scans at the moment on my indirect it’s simply not potential for me to play. Time to rehab and hope to be again on court docket as quickly as I may be.”
Before the Paris Masters, Djokovic, Alcaraz, Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, and Andrey Rublev had already certified for the ATP Finals, the season-ending event for the highest eight gamers on tour that will likely be performed in Turin from Nov. 12-19.
Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev and Hubert Hurkacz stayed in rivalry for the three remaining spots on the ATP Finals by advancing to the second spherical.
The Tenth-seeded Zverev rallied previous qualifier Marton Fucsovics 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, whereas Hurkacz overcame Sebastian Korda 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3.
Felix Auger-Aliassime, Francisco Cerundolo, Ugo Humbert, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Mackenzie McDonald, and Dusan Lajovic additionally received their first-round matches.
Etcheverry outlasted Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4 by saving a match level to arrange a gathering with top-seeded Djokovic.
Djokovic warmed up by enjoying in doubles with Kecmanovic on Tuesday. The Serbian pair beat Gonzalo Escobar and Aleksandr Nedovyesov 6-4, 6-2 within the first spherical.
Cerundolo additionally saved a match level to edge Gael Monfils 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-5.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
