World number two Carlos Alcaraz expressed his frustrations akin to that of a bewildered 13-year-old after suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of Bulgarian veteran Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open on Thursday.
Alcaraz, aged 20, entered the Miami Open with soaring confidence following his recent triumph at the Indian Wells trophy. However, his aspirations of clinching the Sunshine Double, a feat not achieved since Roger Federer in 2017, were dashed as he succumbed to a 6-2, 6-4 defeat against Dimitrov.
This marks Alcaraz’s second consecutive loss to the 32-year-old Dimitrov, with their previous encounter resulting in a three-set defeat at the Shanghai Masters last year. Reflecting on his performance, Alcaraz praised Dimitrov’s impeccable display of tennis, admitting his struggle to find solutions and make his opponent uncomfortable on the court.
Expressing his frustrations, Alcaraz likened his experience to that of feeling like a 13-year-old, overwhelmed and searching for answers. Despite acknowledging his own solid performance, Alcaraz admitted feeling lost on the court, unsure of how to counter Dimitrov’s dominance.
Looking ahead, Alcaraz already anticipates their next encounter, vowing to adapt his game and employ different strategies to improve his 3-2 win-loss record against Dimitrov. While he acknowledges the challenges ahead, Alcaraz remains determined to learn from this defeat and evolve as a player.
On the other hand, Dimitrov, currently ranked world number 12, remains focused on his journey in the tournament. With his fourth semi-final appearance of the season looming, Dimitrov emphasizes the importance of staying present and simplifying his approach to the game.
For Dimitrov, simplicity is key, and he aims to maintain this mindset in every match moving forward. With his sights set on the semi-final clash against Alexander Zverev, Dimitrov remains steadfast in his commitment to executing his game plan with precision and focus.
