Carlos Alcaraz will try to make amends in Rio, Brazil after shocking defeat in Buenos Aires

Carlos Alcaraz did not defend his title in Buenos Aires. He was defeated in the semi-finals by Nicolas Jarry of Chile. The South American won in two sets 7:6 and 6:3, which was only the third loss for the defending champion against a player outside the top 20 of the ATP rankings since the beginning of 2023. The Spanish tennis star will try to make amends in Rio, Brazil.

Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz was very open after his match with Nicolas Jarry: “It was a tough defeat for me, it hurt a lot. It was a lot of pain, a lot of pain, a lot of pain. I have to improve my game because even though I played well, it was far from my true potential.”

This loss came at an inopportune time as Alcaraz has not advanced to the final of any ATP tournament since last year’s Cincinnati Masters. He also mentions the complications of this being his first tournament on clay in a long time and admits he was not the most comfortable on the courts.

Although the loss was surprising, especially since it came in two sets, Nicolas Jarry is a strong opponent who has made significant progress in the last year.

Alcaraz is now preparing for his next tournament on clay in South America, where he will continue his preparation for the tournament in Rio de Janeiro, where he has won once and finished runner-up once in the past.

Alcaraz and his next tournament

Alcaraz’s next match in Rio will be against home wild card Thiago Monteiro, with whom he has an even record of wins and losses. Should the Spaniard fail to do well in the Brazilian city, it could raise further uncertainties about his form.

Cameron Norrie should clearly be Alcaraz’s biggest competition in Rio. Among other interesting names, he may run into the likes of Ofner, Wawrinka or Baez.

Jarry, who knocked him out in Buenos Aires, will not be missing at the tournament either. The tournament in Rio de Janeiro starts on Monday, February 19.

Source: ESPN, TennisHead, Tennis Infinity