World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz opened his Miami Open campaign with high hopes after clinching the Indian Wells trophy. However, his journey came to an abrupt halt in the quarterfinals, where he faced off against Bulgarian veteran Grigor Dimitrov. Alcaraz, just 20, suffered a 6-2, 6-4 defeat, shattering his aspirations of achieving the Sunshine Double—a feat last accomplished by Roger Federer in 2017.
Reflecting on the match, Alcaraz admitted feeling like a \"frustrated 13-year-old\" searching for answers. \"He played amazing tennis, almost perfect. I couldn’t find solutions. I couldn’t find a way to make him feel uncomfortable on the court. It was a great game from his side,\" he stated.
This loss marks Alcaraz’s second consecutive defeat to Dimitrov, following last year’s three-set loss in the Shanghai Masters.
Despite the setback, the twice Grand Slam champion isn’t letting it dampen his spirits. He’s already strategizing for their next encounter, aiming to switch up his game to even his 3-2 win-loss record against Dimitrov. \"Probably the next match that I’m going to play against him, and I’m sure that there’s going to be another one, I’ll try to do a lot of different things,\" Alcaraz added.
Dimitrov, ranked world number 12, is set to play his fourth semifinal of the season against Alexander Zverev. A win would propel him into the top 10 rankings.
\"I’m not going to think from now what I can do. It’s just very important to stay in the moment,\" Dimitrov commented. \"That’s what our game is about. That’s the beauty of our game, and it’s always the simplest things that are the most difficult to do.\"
Stay tuned as these tennis stars continue to battle it out on the courts, bringing thrilling matches and unforgettable moments! 🎾🔥
