Carlos Alcaraz expressed regret for his behavior during a match against Gaël Monfils at the Cincinnati Open, where he smashed his racket in frustration early in the third set.
“I apologize because my attitude yesterday was not correct and it is something that should not be done on the track,” Alcaraz wrote on X. “I am human, I had a lot of nerves inside and sometimes it is very difficult to control yourself when your heart rate is so high. I will work so that it does not happen again. Time to think about NYC!”
Pido perdón porque mi actitud de ayer no fue correcta y es algo que no debería hacerse dentro de una pista. Soy humano, tenía acumulación de nervios dentro y a veces es muy complicado controlarse cuando estás con las pulsaciones tan altas. Trabajaré para que no vuelva a… pic.twitter.com/YR0dRJhTxX
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) August 17, 2024
Alcaraz, aged 21, playing his first tournament since winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, expressed his frustration during the match against Monfils. He admitted to losing control of his emotions and venting his anger on his racket.
“It never happened before, because I could control those feelings,” Alcaraz mentioned. “Today, I couldn’t. I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis. It was really frustrating for me. At some point, I didn’t want to be on the court anymore.”
Reflecting on the match, Alcaraz described it as the “worst match that I’ve ever played in my career” and is now focused on preparing for the upcoming US Open, commencing on August 26.
“I’ve been practicing really well,” Alcaraz stated. “I was feeling great. But I couldn’t play. I want to forget it and try to move on to New York.”