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Carlos Alcaraz bit the dust at the hands of Grigor Dimitrov in a nail-biting three-set battle during the fourth round of the 2023 Shanghai Masters on Wednesday, October 11.
The Bulgarian came out on top by a score of 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 against an out-of-sorts Carlos Alcaraz, booking his spot in the quarterfinals of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament. The 32-year-old keeps his hopes of clinching a long-awaited ATP title alive by putting a stop to the Spaniard's plans.
Entering the match with a head-to-head record of 0-3 against Carlos Alcaraz, Dimitrov pulled out all the stops at the hard-court event to change the game. He hit the ball with precision from both sides and his backhand drop shot was a game-changer against second seed Alcaraz.
The Spaniard was on a roll, shooting for his lucky 13th quarter-final out of 14 events in 2023.
Grigor Dimitrov fired 29 winners and pulled a rabbit out of the hat after giving up a 5-3 lead in the first set to make it to his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final of the year, after two hours and nine minutes.
Dimitrov, who made it to the quarterfinals in Shanghai in 2017, will now face 22nd seed Nicolas Jarry, who took down Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 earlier today.
Carlos Alcaraz's loss sent shockwaves through the tennis fans, leading to a number of opinions on Twitter. One fan compared Carlos Alcaraz's loss to Roger Federer's when the Swiss legend was at his peak.
"Imagine losing to Btec Federer. At the same age, Nadal and Djokovic were beating original prime Federer," the fan wrote.
Another tennis enthusiast, throwing in the Lacoste brand, claimed that it takes Novak Djokovic to outshine Carlos Alcaraz.
"It takes @Lacoste guys to beat Alcaraz in Cincinnati, US Open and Shanghai. What a win for Dimitrov. Congratulations," the fan wrote.
Here are a few more fan reactions to Carlos Alcaraz's loss:
Carlos Alcaraz attributes his success to self-belief and relentless hard work
Carlos Alcaraz has stated that he does not consider himself 'the chosen one' because he feels his success is due to his hard work and self-confidence.
The Spaniard is considered one of the most popular and sought-after tennis players due to his spectacular rise. Unfortunately, many ascribe Alcaraz's success to chance, ignoring his tireless efforts and determination.
In a recent interview with El Pais, the World No. 1 claimed that his success is due to his unwavering commitment and self-belief.
"I’ll be honest, I don’t consider myself the chosen one," Alcaraz said. "That is achieved simply through hard work, there are no secrets. In this world, there are no secrets, but everything is achieved day by day through perseverance and effort. Details make the difference."
"Many great athletes or legends in all fields say it: the details are what make the difference, and in the end, pursuing your dream, being clear that you are going to make it come true and trusting that you are going to make it come true it is what makes the difference and what allows you to reach the goals you set for yourself," he added.
