2024 Shanghai Open ATP Master's 1000 QF - [3] Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (SPN) v/s [30] Tomáš Macháč (CZE)

[Rafa4LifeEver]

2nd meeting between the two after their clash earlier at Davis cup last month, when Macháč took a set off Alcaraz before ultimately having to retire from the match.

He's beaten Tommy Paul of USA in R16 by 3 sets, while Alcaraz defeated Gael Monfils in 2.

How does this one go? Can Tomáš Macháč trouble Alcaraz or beat him? Will Alcaraz continue his 12 match winning streak?
Discuss and vote.

 

[Krish872007]

There is upset potential in this one if Carlos is off his game.

 

[Pheasant]

Machac, for a guy ranked 33rd in the world, has some notable wins on hard courts, which includes beating #17 Tiafoe at the AO, #6 Rublev in Miami, and #16 Korda at the USO. But perhaps his most notable wins are against Tommy Paul. He's beaten #13 Paul in back-to-back tourneys now.

I agree with the above post. If Alcaraz has one of those off-days, then he could be upset. But ultimately, I'm taking Alcaraz in straights. I think that Alcaraz is a serious threat to win this tourney.

 

[Aabye5]

Went with Alcaraz in two, but Mr Magic is pretty spectacular. At the moment, however, Alcaraz seems to be going on a run.

 

[placebo]

Carlos hasn’t lost a set thus far. He looks focused and I don’t expect a drop-off any time soon.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Alcaraz in 2!

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

There is upset potential in this one if Carlos is off his game.

Yep

 

[Net Beast]

Very entertaining match so far. Machac struggling to hold serve, but hitting the ball very aggressively. A few highlight worthy points already.

 

[Succession]

Machac's shorts keep being a bit ridiculous

 

[TheGoldenEra1990’s]

Carlos struggling with bums again ehh? He sure does have difficulty against mediocre players

 

[junior74]

Machac over-powering Alcaraz

On fire! Takes the tie-break with aggressive tennis. Nice.

 

[sortof]

And Machac takes the 1st set!

 

[GRASScaraz]

Did Alcaraz even win a point on serve in the tiebreak?

 

[mehdimike]

Machac over-powering Alcaraz

On fire! Takes the tie-break with aggressive tennis. Nice.

Did he go 132 K/H on the forehand side on average this set? Did I see the stat correctly?

 

[Djumhur]

Raz should give up on this match because if he wins he is gonna get embarassed tomorrow. Nothing is working here for him

 

[FeroBango]

Smell an upset.

 

[FeroBango]

Raz should give up on this match because if he wins he is gonna get embarassed tomorrow. Nothing is working here for him

The game hasn't been bad imo. He's just made an array of poor decisions.

 

[NaDjoFed]

break Machac. Alcaraz has to step up. I really want a Sinner vs Alcaraz semi with all the due respect for Machac

 

[Net Beast]

After weathering some early tough serve games, Machac has become more solid as the match progressed, and Alcaraz more tentative. Carlos feeding Machac too many neutral balls, and Machac taking advantage of them. Alcaraz down a set and a break.

 

[Pheasant]

Break point. Let’s go Carlitos!

 

[Net Beast]

Machac quite fond of the jumping volley. He has been airborne for a sizeable portion of this match.

 

[junior74]

Did he go 132 K/H on the forehand side on average this set? Did I see the stat correctly?

Yup. Firing 160 kph winners off both wings. Even a 156 return winner.

... and he continues... :O

 

[Pheasant]

Ok now Carlitos. 0-30. Convert this opportunity now.

 

[junior74]

When you play this well, doubt always finds a way to enter your brain.

Looks like the moment has come.

 

[Niekotokio]

lol OK 6/6 bp saved

 

[Pheasant]

That was some insane defending by Carlitos. Break point! Let’s go!!

 

[Pheasant]

Hell yeah, Alcaraz!! Finally!!!! Game on, folks!!

 

[FeroBango]

Shades of the Alcaraz vs Fabian match

 

[Net Beast]

Alcaraz breaks, though he relied on Machac's errors. Machac has been the aggressor for most of this match, and unless Carlos changes that I don't see a Sinner/Alcaraz Semifinal.

 

[junior74]

Extreme drop in level and Machac is broken.

 

[tudwell]

I haven’t been able to tune in, but looking at the score/stats… Geez. Alcaraz with almost twice as many return points won. Winning considerably more behind both first and second serve and landing over 10% more first serves to boot. And yet he’s down a set and was just a minute ago down a set and a break.

 

[Paulreedsmith]

DICEY DICEY CARLOS!

 

[NYTennisfan]

Just scoreboard watching but Carlos seems much like his idol Rafa, just doesn't get up for the post USO tournaments.

 

[RF-18]

And this is why Sinner should be considered well ahead of Alcaraz this year irrespective of the h2h. Alcaraz has randomly lost so many times while Sinner has barely lost to anyone outside Med or Alcaraz.

 

[Succession]

Annoying

 

[Pheasant]

Dammit!!!

 

[junior74]

Ok, this was a special performance from Machac!

Alcaraz knew this when he shock his hand.

 

[Succession]

Didn't see a lot but that was low-key stuff

 

[MaluTapiMau]

Thanks Carlos!

 

[albatros_forehand]

Machac quite fond of the jumping volley. He has been airborne for a sizeable portion of this match.

It’s the shorts ! They are short and light exactly how they meant to be.

 

[Net Beast]

Great match by Machac. Alcaraz was reacting throughout the match after the third or fourth game. Well deserved win by Machac.

 

[FeroBango]

I haven’t been able to tune in, but looking at the score/stats… Geez. Alcaraz with almost twice as many return points won. Winning considerably more behind both first and second serve and landing over 10% more first serves to boot. And yet he’s down a set and was just a minute ago down a set and a break.

He's never achieving the Sinner consistency without fixing his Isner-esque BP conversion.

 

[junior74]

Didn't see a lot but that was low-key stuff

Low-key?

Over-powering the most aggressive on tour? Not backing off when he started doubting himself a little?

Super impressive to keep the foot on the gas like that and stick to a working game plan. Respect.

 

[FeroBango]

25 winners to 19 UE from Alcaraz. Yet loses to the one with 30 winners and 32 UE.

Shows you that being the better player in a match means nothing if you forget the cojones part of your tattoo on BP.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Fair play to Machac. Great win for him. Alcaraz is so hard to work out. One week he’s unplayable and can beat sinner and Djokovic and has the highest level possible. Then other weeks he’s off it and loses to lesser players.

The alcaraz vs sinner rivalry and records race is interesting because alcaraz has proven to be the better big match player in meetings and finals but sinner is a lot more consistent and doesn’t lose to lesser players like Carlos does.

I didn’t expect this after alcaraz fine form in Beijing and starting this event but you just never know in sport.

 

[Winner Sinner]

Hahahaha

Sorry for the laughter, but after hearing Alcaraz fanboys for days leveraging h2h with Sinner to demonstrate his superiority in the season, this is yet another demonstration of how wrong the assessment is. It's too easy to show up for the appointment when you're on top of your game, only to miss it in many other circumstances where Sinner could have easily gotten rid of him. Federer-Nadal 2006 remember.

Sinner is the real number 1 in name and in fact.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

He's never achieving the Sinner consistency without fixing his Isner-esque BP conversion.

Machac outhit Alcaraz by 20kmph on FH & 14kmph on BH, you don't see that happening much.
He took the match out of the hands of Alcaraz.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Machac outhit Alcaraz by 20kmph on FH & 14kmph on BH, you don't see that happening much.
He took the match out of the hands of Alcaraz.

I agree. It strange how alcaraz can still play well and lose these type of games. He’s unlucky in a sense that players see, to matchup well to him or peak against him. Carlos didn’t play bad but for some reason lesser players get joy against him.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

I agree. It strange how alcaraz can still play well and lose these type of games. He’s unlucky in a sense that players see, to matchup well to him or peak against him. Carlos didn’t play bad but for some reason lesser players get joy against him.

Primarily because he doesn't change his gameplan or tactics in such situations. What he should've done was to change the pattern of play by engaging in sharp angled rallies instead of mostly mid-court ones. It was evident that Machac was prone to spraying if stretched wide on either side, but Alcaraz kept trying to outpunch him & got punished.

Another option was to throw moonballs on to the baseline and wait for Machac to implode, but he instead kept giving him comfortable height balls to crush.

 

[jimjam]

Alcaraz is just less motivated when playing weaker players, but today's loss had more to do with Machac's level. He redlined for almost 2 sets. It happens and he deserves the win for showing this much aggression.

Shame we won't get another Sinner-Alcaraz match, but there are more to come.