Carlos Alcaraz avoids repeat of controversial Cincinnati Open drama with surprise gesture days after refusing umpire's bizarre request

Carlos Alcaraz has grabbed attention with his notable gesture towards the chair umpire at the 2025 Cincinnati Open. The Spaniard made the move just two days after he was faced with a bizarre request at the tournament.

During his fourth-round clash against Luca Nardi at the ATP Masters 1000 event, Alcaraz was asked to cover his sponsor Evian's logo on his water bottle by chair umpire Greg Allensworth in a strange exchange. The Spaniard was not impressed by Allensworth's request, as he firmly refused to comply. Interestingly, tennis fans backed the World No. 2's refusal to acquiesce to the umpire's "ridiculous" demand.

Nevertheless, Carlos Alcaraz ensured that he wouldn't face the same issue when he returned to the stadium for his quarterfinal clash against Andrey Rublev. During the match, the Spaniard proudly showed off his water bottle to chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani and emphasized that there was "no brand" advertised on it.

Alcaraz faced a formidable challenge from Rublev en route to booking his spot in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open. However, the five-time Grand Slam champion managed to bounce back after losing the second set and claimed a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory after two hours and 17 minutes.

Carlos Alcaraz reveals what he is 'most proud of' after tough win over Andrey Rublev at Cincinnati Open

Carlos Alcaraz - Source: Getty

Speaking to the press at the Cincinnati Open, Carlos Alcaraz candidly reflected on his performance against Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals. Although the World No. 2 acknowledged that he had failed to maintain his focus in the second set, he took pride in how he had displayed his mental strength by staying positive and pulling off the win.

"I maintained positive thoughts all the time, even though I lost focus a few times during the second set. Playing someone like Andrey, when you lose focus on two or three points, it [can] cost you the set or almost the match. I just stayed strong mentally and that’s what I’m most proud of," Alcaraz said.

Up next, Alcaraz will lock horns with Alexander Zverev in a blockbuster semifinal showdown at the ATP Masters 1000 event. The World No. 3 claimed a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over Ben Shelton to set up the highly anticipated meeting.

Zverev will head into the encounter with a slight advantage, holding a narrow 6-5 lead in his head-to-head record against the five-time Grand Slam champion. The German also defeated Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(5), 6-4 in their most recent encounter at the 2024 ATP Finals.