Alcaraz crashes out of Shanghai Masters, misses world No.1 shot

Carlos Alcaraz crashed out of the Shanghai Masters in China on Thursday, losing in straight sets to Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals.

Tennis betting sites had Alcaraz as a -1250 favourite to beat Machac, with the world No.2 having prevailed over the 23-year-old just last month.

But Machac played some of his best tennis all year on Thursday, hitting 31 winners to 25 and overcoming Alcaraz 7-6 (5), 7-5 in just under two hours to make his maiden Masters 1000 semi-final.

The Czech out-hit Alcaraz by 31 winners to 25, leading the Spaniard to declare after the match that it felt like the was playing a top-five opponent.

“I felt like I was playing against a top-five player,” said Alcaraz, who had been on a 12-match winning streak coming into the Shanghai quarter-finals.

“Not even top 10, no, top five. His level was so high.

“I thought that he was going to give me an opportunity, a window, but he didn’t.

“From the first game until the last one, his level was so high.

“His ball speed, it was unbelievable.

“Honestly, I felt good on the court, I felt the ball really well, I was hitting well, I was moving well.

“But, at some points, I didn’t know what to do.”

The loss means Alcaraz is now unable to catch Jannik Sinner in the ATP rankings for 2024, confirming the Italian will claim the year-end No.1 spot for the first time in his career.

Sinner navigated his quarter-final with ease, defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-1, 6-4 to claim his seventh win over the Russian in eight meetings.

The 23-year-old has made at least the quarter-finals in every tournament he has entered in 2024, making the last four in 11 of 14 events.

With Alcaraz bowing out, online bookmakers now have Sinner as a -163.93 favourite to win the Shanghai Masters.

His biggest competition, Novak Djokovic (+162), will play his quarter-final on Friday against Jakub Mensik.

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