Carlos Alcaraz has broken new ground in his young career by advancing smoothly into the third round of the 2024 Shanghai Masters, defying a historically challenging period in his season. Prior to this year, the Spanish prodigy had never won a title after the US Open, with his last triumphs in previous seasons coming at Wimbledon and the US Open itself. However, this year he has changed that narrative.
After helping Team Europe secure victory at the Laver Cup, Alcaraz clinched the China Open title by defeating his main rival, Jannik Sinner, in a compelling final. The quick turnaround to the Shanghai Masters posed a significant challenge, but tournament organizers accommodated both players by delaying their opening matches by a day, allowing them adequate time to recover.
On Saturday, October 5th, Alcaraz faced a formidable first opponent in Juncheng “Jerry” Shang, a Chinese rising star who recently won his maiden ATP title and had the full support of the home crowd. Despite the potentially intimidating atmosphere and the tough draw, Alcaraz displayed remarkable composure and skill. He began the match by winning the first nine points, quickly establishing a 2-0 lead. Although Shang managed to hold serve in the third game, Alcaraz broke again to take the first set 6-2 without facing a single break point.
The second set saw Alcaraz continue his dominant performance, including a spectacular retrieval of a seemingly unreachable lob that left both the audience and his opponent in awe. After breaking Shang’s serve to lead 2-1, Alcaraz faced his only break point of the match but saved it confidently. He secured another break to go up 4-1 and ultimately closed out the match with another 6-2 set.
This commanding victory not only propels Alcaraz into the next round but also signifies his readiness to excel during the latter part of the season—a period where he had previously not secured titles. His next challenge will be against another talented Chinese player, Wu Yibing, as he continues his pursuit of late-season success. Alcaraz’s recent form suggests he is well-equipped to handle the challenges ahead, reaffirming his status as one of the sport’s brightest talents.
