2025 Indian wells ATP master's 1000 R32 - (2) Carlos Alcaraz Garfia [SPN] v/s (27) Denis Shapovalov [CAN]

[Rafa4LifeEver]

H2H - Carlos leads 1-0
HC H2H - N/A
Last match - 2023 RG R32, Alcaraz def. Shapovalov 61 64 62

Defending champion from 2023 & 24 against a resurgent, 25 yo left handed power player.

How'd this one go? Who wins and how many sets?

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

So apparently I woke up an hour before the match begins.
Damn me.

 

[Rosstour]

Head says Carlos wins this pretty easily.

Heart is saying "CMONNN" and clenching its teeth Kobe style

 

[Vincent-C]

Glad you started a match thread and poll. Go, Shap!

 

[Vincent-C]

Alky breaks. phuck

 

[Rafa4GOAT]

Alky breaks. phuck

and again...

 

[Vincent-C]

It's all part of my diabolical Master Plan. Lulling Alky into complacency..

 

[Rafa4GOAT]

so it'll be a 0-6 6-0 7-6 (20-18) win for shapo?

 

[Vincent-C]

so it'll be a 0-6 6-0 7-6 (20-18) win for shapo?

Yeah, a cool Johan Kriek-like score.

 

[Rosstour]

LET'S GO


That last point was more like I was expecting this match to look

Shapo is adjusting to Carlos' pace. Second set should be more competitive. SHOULD be

 

[Kralingen]

Shapo hot streak in Dallas was just that, a fluke

 

[Rosstour]

Shapo hot streak in Dallas was just that, a fluke

Dude I like you and Nolefam but you have to find another thread to do this in. Fans are watching this match and don't care to be reminded of your opinions on Shapo generally. Maybe you're bitter because you didn't bet on his Dallas matches but spare us

 

[Vincent-C]

Shap breaks back. Yes! Getting his teeth into it now.

 

[tennisjedi]

I wanted a bagel.

 

[Rosstour]

LET'S GO


That last point was more like I was expecting this match to look

Shapo is adjusting to Carlos' pace. Second set should be more competitive. SHOULD be

And Shapo breaks, showing he's adjusting. If he can get this hold he can go into the second set with a better outlook.

 

[Rafa4GOAT]

on the board! maybe it'll be 7-5 6-0 for shaps

 

[tudwell]

I wanted a bagel.

Alcaraz giveth and Alcaraz taketh away

 

[Rosstour]

I'm 43 years old and kind of over yelling at the TV when 'my team scores'

But Shapo is bringing it out of me again. I haven't audibly cheered for a player since Roger

 

[Vincent-C]

Dude I like you and Nolefam but you have to find another thread to do this in. Fans are watching this match and don't care to be reminded of your opinions on Shapo generally. Maybe you're bitter because you didn't bet on his Dallas matches but spare us

Kral's trolling (welcome back) isn't mean-spirited, though- except when it comes to Meddy.

 

[Rosstour]

Kral's trolling (welcome back) isn't mean-spirited though- except when it comes to Meddy.

I chuckle at his Steph Curry hate but I don't need to see that kind of stuff directed at Shapo, not in a match thread.

Hating on Curry is at least good sport, it's like telling a metalhead you don't like AC/DC.

Saying Shapo sucks is hardly controversial

 

[Vincent-C]

A hold is needed here.

 

[Rosstour]

These clown commentators are talking about Nadal. Big surprise, Courier can't talk about any current player without saying Nadal's name and now his partner is doing it too. They are saying Alcaraz is following in Rafa's footsteps by embracing the atmosphere, the bright lights....what are they smoking? Rafa was able to withstand that stuff but didn't lap it up like Alcaraz does. And I'm not saying that to insult Rafa

 

[tudwell]

A combined 4 aces and 10 double faults. Not exactly a serve fest lol.

 

[Rosstour]

THAT RETURN

 

[Vincent-C]

Noooo....

 

[TennisGrandpA]

Shapo give us a match

 

[Rafa4GOAT]

knew this might happen but i still believe shapo has the game to make this match a battle

 

[TennisGrandpA]

I was so wrong, Shapo gonna be shapo, got broken lmao

 

[Rosstour]

knew this might happen but i still believe shapo has the game to make this match a battle

Can't DF twice against Charles. I think that was the match.

 

[Kralingen]

Well Charles let’s see what ya got. With the way the serve has gone since I’ve tuned in, no guarantee he closes this out.

 

[Vincent-C]

I would prefer to have my money back.

 

[Vincent-C]

Let's get that break back, Shap. The time is now

 

[Vincent-C]

[sound of air escaping from balloon]

 

[TennisGrandpA]

Let's get that break back, Shap. The time is now

Shapo is a 10 x wilder and 10x inconsistent version of Carlos. Carlos gives lots of breaks to even mugs but Shapo broke him only once.

 

[Rosstour]

People will say this was a typical Shapo collapse but I do not agree. He got smoked the first set but gathered himself and won six of the last 12 games.

 

[TennisGrandpA]

People will say this was a typical Shapo collapse but I do not agree. He got smoked the first set but gathered himself and won six of the last 12 games.

Shapo was a great raw talent but unfortunately didn’t work hard enough to become a great finished product

 

[Kralingen]

Tough loss. To be fair this is arguably Raz’s best court on the entire tour

 

[TennisGrandpA]

Tough loss. To be fair this is arguably Raz’s best court on the entire tour

Was beaten by the old , snail paced, crippled Nadal on the same court lol

 

[Kralingen]

Was beaten by the old , snail paced, crippled Nadal on the same court lol

In hurricane force winds, and has not lost a match, or barely even a set, since

 

[sandiegoman]

The Shape of things to come!

 

[Rosstour]

Shapo was a great raw talent but unfortunately didn’t work hard enough to become a great finished product

He lost a lot of that 'time to improve' to his knee injury. He gave Rafa a huge fight in 2022 AO but later that yr started experiencing knee pain. 22 and 23 were down years, and by the end of 24 he had started to come back and find his game again.

 

[Rosstour]

Shapo was a great raw talent but unfortunately didn’t work hard enough to become a great finished product

He lost a lot of that 'time to improve' to his knee injury. He gave Rafa a huge fight in 2022 AO but later that yr started experiencing knee pain. 22 and 23 were down years, and by the end of 24 he had started to come back and find his game again.

 

[flyingboris]

I completely missed that there was a match thread. I did think it was a little quiet. Match commentary starts here-ish in the main tournament thread.

 

[tennis24x7]

Tough loss. To be fair this is arguably Raz’s best court on the entire tour

Pretty decent score. Did Shaps just give up?

 

[tennis24x7]

He lost a lot of that 'time to improve' to his knee injury. He gave Rafa a huge fight in 2022 AO but later that yr started experiencing knee pain. 22 and 23 were down years, and by the end of 24 he had started to come back and find his game again.

He still has couple more years. If he puts his head down like Fish did in his 30s, he can probably go deep in a slam or even snag one. But I think it is just wishful thinking at this point.

 

[Rosstour]

He still has couple more years. If he puts his head down like Fish did in his 30s, he can probably go deep in a slam or even snag one. But I think it is just wishful thinking at this point.

The head is down.

Again he won 6 of the final 12 games against Alcaraz, after he got used to the pace and the occasion he was basically trading punches. Just got a little tight on serve and threw in those 2 DFs to get broken. Otherwise we go to a TB and maybe a third set. Encouraging for him. Most of the time it won't be Alcaraz on the other side of the net, and even it it is, he has a decent chance

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

The head is down.

Again he won 6 of the final 12 games against Alcaraz, after he got used to the pace and the occasion he was basically trading punches. Just got a little tight on serve and threw in those 2 DFs to get broken. Otherwise we go to a TB and maybe a third set. Encouraging for him. Most of the time it won't be Alcaraz on the other side of the net, and even it it is, he has a decent chance

i don't think it's alarming: denis is still in the process of getting back to his best level (also still looking to find some consistency!)... and alcaraz played a big match with a terrific start (as he said, he knew denis scored good results recently) in conditions where he's particularly comfortable.

 

[tennis24x7]

The head is down.

Again he won 6 of the final 12 games against Alcaraz, after he got used to the pace and the occasion he was basically trading punches. Just got a little tight on serve and threw in those 2 DFs to get broken. Otherwise we go to a TB and maybe a third set. Encouraging for him. Most of the time it won't be Alcaraz on the other side of the net, and even it it is, he has a decent chance

You said it right about maybe going to TB, now if it had then I would have agreed to head it down. Not until then.

 

[Rosstour]

You said it right about maybe going to TB, now if it had then I would have agreed to head it down. Not until then.

But the loss wasn't due to his historic issues, like shot selection/pulling trigger too soon. He was just outplayed in the first bc it's been a while (maybe never) that he's faced someone like Carlos. Once he adjusted it was all business. Just the DFs did him in. But it wasn't due to being undisciplined or too aggressive

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

But the loss wasn't due to his historic issues, like shot selection/pulling trigger too soon. He was just outplayed in the first bc it's been a while (maybe never) that he's faced someone like Carlos. Once he adjusted it was all business. Just the DFs did him in. But it wasn't due to being undisciplined or too aggressive

IW is also the worst court to play against Alca.