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Carlos Alcaraz will be seen playing at the Monte Carlo Masters after a heartbreaking exit from the ongoing Miami Open if things go as planned. The Spaniard faced an early upset after Belgian David Goffin stunned him 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in their Round of 64 clash. The clay leg of the season will kick off with the tournament at Monte Carlo starting April 6.
The 21-year-old has been having a rollercoaster season so far, with a fair share of positive and disappointing performances. He started his run this year with a near-miss at the Australian Open as he had to exit the tournament with a quarterfinal loss to Novak Djokovic. Following the loss down under, he exhibited a stellar display at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam and clinched the first indoor hardcourt title of his career. However, his run has been trophyless since then.
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All odds were in favor of the Spaniard as he took on Goffin at Miami. He even got a lead against the Belgian in the first set but lost momentum in subsequent games, costing him another Masters 1000 title. He was disappointed at the unanticipated loss and made it evident at the post-match interview.
"I don't yet know how the next few days will be for me; there will be time to analyze what happened and also to forget it. I know this part of the season very well, I've played great tennis in the past at these tournaments, but after what happened today, I'm not sure what to say," he said.
"Mentally, I'm disappointed, honestly; this is a tournament where I want to do well, and losing in the first round hurts a lot," Carlos Alcaraz added.
He would look forward to kickstarting his revival in the clay season.
Carlos Alcaraz hopeful of reigniting his competitive drive in the upcoming clay season
Tennis star Carlos Alcaraz hopes to find rhythm as the clay swing of the season kicks off with the Monte Carlo Masters. He'll have a significant time to recover and recuperate from his loss at the Miami Open.
His last season on clay was also quite fruitful, despite injury scares. Even though he did not play the full swing and had withdrawn from Monte Carlo after a hectic US schedule, he fared well in the French Open by clinching his third major title and fell at the final hurdle against Novak Djokovic at the Paris Olympics.
