Carlos Alcaraz, frayed nerves and a shocking exit: the unbelievable happens in Shanghai
Carlos Alcaraz’s run at the Shanghai Masters 1000 comes to an early end. The Spaniard, currently ranked No. 3 in the world, was surprisingly eliminated in the third round by Belgian Zizou Bergs, who secured one of the most prestigious victories of his career by winning in two sets, 7-5, 7-6(4).
An unexpected setback for the Murcia native, who appeared far from his best. Alcaraz alternated between good plays and numerous lapses, showing frustration with the playing conditions on more than one occasion. Nerves plagued much of the match, especially during the decisive moments, while Bergs, on the other hand, managed to maintain his composure and aggressiveness.
The turning point of the match came at the end of the first set, with the Belgian seizing the right opportunity to break his opponent’s serve and take the lead. In the second set, the match remained evenly balanced until the tiebreak, where, however, Alcaraz committed several errors that paved the way for the victory of the No. 39 player in the ATP rankings.
For Bergs, this is a result destined to remain among the most significant of his young career. The Belgian built his victory primarily on an excellent performance on serve, conceding very little and neutralizing all of the rare opportunities Alcaraz had on return.
The Spaniard’s elimination also has implications for the year-end world rankings. With Jannik Sinner sidelined until the end of the year due to a knee injury that is keeping him off the courts, Alcaraz will no longer be able to catch up to Alexander Zverev by the end of 2026, meaning Zverev will close out the year at the top of the world rankings.
It was a mixed bag for the Spanish champion on his Asian tour. In Tokyo, there were encouraging signs with his first title since his wrist injury, while Shanghai turned into an unexpected disappointment. Alcaraz’s focus is now already on his upcoming events, from the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh to the final stretch of the indoor season, featuring the Paris Masters 1000, the ATP Finals in Turin, and the Davis Cup scheduled for Bologna.
