Carlos Alcaraz slumped to a 3rd spherical defeat on the Italian Open by unheralded Hungarian Fabian Marozsan on Monday (Tuesday AEST), simply two weeks earlier than he heads into the French Open as the highest seed.
The 20-year-old Spaniard, who’s assured to exchange Novak Djokovic as world primary on May 22, had come into the event in Rome on the again of wins in Barcelona and Madrid.
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But the US Open champion was outplayed by 23-year-old Marozsan, shedding 6-3 7-6 (7-4).
Tennis commentators have been fully gobsmacked as Alcaraz misplaced a match to a participant ranked exterior the highest 100 for the primary time in 19 months.
Before this event Marozsan had by no means overwhelmed a participant ranked within the prime 100.
Leading tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg wrote on Twitter: “Truly one of the most shocking results of the decade, if not the century”.
Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey advised the upset outcome will go down in tennis folklore.
“It’s got to be one of the biggest upsets we have seen in ATP Tour history,” Petchey informed Amazon Prime.
“There may be others that people will point to, but from a point of view that he comes anonymously into the tournament to produce that kind of tennis is just about as impressive and surprising as it can be.
“Shellshock and super happy that this is a sport that can create moments like that and the uncertainty is there.”
Marozsan, who’s ranked one hundred and thirty fifth on the earth, received the ultimate six factors of the second-set tie-break to present Alcaraz a wake-up name with the French Open beginning in lower than a fortnight.
Alcaraz, who was second seed in Rome however in Paris can be prime seed at a grand slam for the primary time, stated he required some sustained coaching to beef up his French Open preparations with the clay-court main starting on May 28.
“I’m going to rest a little bit, some days off for me,” he stated. “I really need some days to reset my mind and be fresh for Roland Garros.
“If I want to go to Paris in good shape, I have to practise, to be better. I’ve been playing so much that I couldn’t practise more than three, four days in a row.
“It’s going to be really helpful for me to have days at home practising and getting ready to go to Roland Garros.”
He admitted he was outplayed by his Hungarian opponent.
“He surprised me a lot, his level was really, really high. I’m sure he’s going to break the top 100 very, very soon.”
Marozsan, who subsequent performs Borna Coric for a spot within the quarter-finals, had not received a match on the ATP Tour previous to the event — certainly that is the primary time he has certified for the principle draw at a event on the Tour.
“Everything was perfect today, I was doing my job,” the winner stated. “I cannot imagine this win, even if it was my dream last night.
“I thought I might win a few games or a set.”
Marozsan produced 24 winners in a victory which took an hour and three quarters.
“I had hoped I could do something special,” he stated. “Now I’ve just beaten the best in the sport so I’m very happy.” Alcaraz now stands 30-3 for the season.
Elsewhere, third seed Daniil Medvedev wanted a fightback to defeat Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles 3-6 6-1 6-3, with the winner producing his finest profession effort on the event by reaching the final 16.
It would be the first time since 1994 that no Spaniard has made it to the fourth spherical on the Foro Italico.
“This was my third win on clay from a set down,” five-time Masters 1000 champion Medvedev stated. “I managed to play better – I’m definitely happy with my level.
“I’m playing my best tennis on clay – I’ve never played so well in Rome and I’m feeling great.”
Three males’s matches have been left incomplete by night rain, whereas two ladies’s ties have been delayed.
Women’s world primary Iga Swiatek, the reigning Italian and French Open champion, will now face Donna Vekic of their last-16 match on Wednesday.
Fifth seed and 2022 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas led Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-3 when the rain got here, Lorenzo Musetti led twelfth seed Frances Tiafoe 5-7 6-4 2-1 and Alexander Zverev was 6-4 3-3 in entrance of JJ Wolf.
Wimbledon champion and girls’s seventh seed Elena Rybakina reached the quarter-finals by beating Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3.
Source: www.news.com.au
