Carlos Alcaraz has reached the Monte-Carlo Masters quarter-finals, but it wasn’t easy.
He struggled in the second set against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, making 23 unforced errors and losing the set.
Etcheverry played well and Alcaraz seemed unsettled at times.
Alcaraz frequently talked with his coach, Samuel Lopez, and what he said could raise some concerns.
Concerns over Alcaraz’s Talk with Samuel Lopez
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Alcaraz began strongly against Etcheverry, winning the first set 6-1. However, he faced difficulties in the second set.
During that time, he expressed to Lopez, “It’s really hard to trust it when I don’t have the feeling with the ball right now.”
Although Alcaraz regained his focus to win the match, tougher challenges await.
The world number one is set to face Alexander Bublik and will aim to find his rhythm before then.
If Alcaraz wins again this year, he would join a select group of players who have defended their title at Monte-Carlo this century.
He would follow in the footsteps of former coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, Rafael Nadal, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Challenges for Carlos Alcaraz in Monte-Carlo
While Alcaraz’s draw isn’t as difficult as Jannik Sinner’s, it hasn’t been easy either. Moving from hard courts to clay can be tough, and he faced two players skilled on this surface right away.
Sebastian Baez and Etcheverry have had prior clay experience this season, having competed in South American events in February.
Next, he faces Bublik, who, though not a typical clay player, has had a successful run on the surface in the past year. Since May 2025 at the Italian Open, Bublik has a 19-2 record on clay and is currently on a 10-match winning streak.
Alcaraz has not won against Bublik in their past matches, so he will need to be on top of his game to change that statistic.