Carlos Alcaraz apologizes on social media for destroying racket

Carlos Alcaraz has apologized for his behavior during his loss to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Open

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain smashes his racket during his match against Gael Monfils of France on day five of the Cincinnati Open. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Carlos Alcaraz has apologized for his behaviour during Friday afternoon’s loss to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Open.

During the third set, Alcaraz destroyed his racket by repeatedly smashing it on the court in a rare show of frustration for the four-time Grand Slam winner. The No. 3 player in the ATP rankings lost 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 to the 37-year-old Monfils.

Posting in Spanish on X on Saturday, Alcaraz said his attitude was not correct, and his actions should not have been done on the court. The 21-year-old added that it's difficult to control yourself when your heart rate is high, and he will work to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Pido perdón porque mi actitud de ayer no fue correcta y es algo que no debería hacerse dentro de una pista. Soy humano, tenía acumulación de nervios dentro y a veces es muy complicado controlarse cuando estás con las pulsaciones tan altas. Trabajaré para que no vuelva a… pic.twitter.com/YR0dRJhTxX

— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) August 17, 2024

Alcaraz was playing his first match since earning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics after losing to Novak Djokovic, who also beat him last year in the Cincinnati final.

“I felt like it was the worst match that I’ve ever played on my career,” Alcaraz said Friday. “I’ve been practicing really well. I was feeling great. But I couldn’t play. I want to forget it and try to move on to New York.”

The U.S. Open begins in New York on August 26.