Carlos Alcaraz faced Yibing Wu in the third round of the Shanghai Masters, beating the home player 7-6, 6-3 in an hour and 40 minutes. World no. 2 had to work hard to topple world no. 560, prevailing in the opener and delivering a lone break in set number two that carried him over the top.
Wu, a strong hitter, stayed neck and neck with the four-time Major winner, often overpowering him with deep and precise strokes. Alcaraz was not surprised by the rival’s level, feeling no pressure but admitting it was strange to see someone hit stronger than him.
Carlos praised Yibing and proclaimed we should see more from him if he maintains this level. The Chinese made solid progress in his early years before missing almost three years due to elbow, lower back, shoulder and wrist injuries!
Wu bounced back in January 2022, claiming multiple Challenger titles and reaching the US Open third round as a qualifier, wrapping up the season in the top-120.
Yibing wrote history in Dallas last year, overpowering Taylor Fritz and John Isner en route to his first ATP title, becoming the first Chinese to achieve that!
Wu lost the ground in the second part of the season, struggling with a foot injury that had been bothering him for nearly ten years. He ended his season at the US Open and underwent surgery that kept him away from the court until April this year.
Wu lifted a Challenger title before embracing another break, staying away from the court for four months and hoping to play injury-free and improve his ranking. Yibing pushed Carlos to the limits in the opening set, imposing his shots and standing two points from taking it.
World no. 2 kept his composure, focusing on rallies despite missing more than in the first match. The Spaniard landed 11 aces and avoided break points. The pressure was on the Chinese, and he dealt with it nicely. Carried by the partisan crowd, Wu went for his shots, facing only three break points and suffering one break in the second set.
Carlos Alcaraz praised Yibing Wu following their Shanghai Masters duel.
The home player felt good on the court, wishing for more in the closing months of the season.
Alcaraz hit 23 winners and 21 unforced errors, winning more points from the baseline and building the advantage in the shortest and mid-range exchanges. The encounter kicked off with a thrilling point, and Yibing claimed it with a volley winner at the net before a routine hold with a forehand crosscourt winner that gave him a boost.
Carlos closed the second game with a service winner, and they settled into a fine rhythm behind the initial shot. Wu experienced deuces in the seventh game, passing them and holding to remain on the positive side. Alcaraz held at love in the eighth game and made a push on the return in the next one, earning two break points after the rival’s forehand error.
Wu kept his composure and denied them, holding with a service winner and extending the drama. The Chinese overcame deuces in the 11th game, and the Spaniard arranged a tie break with a powerful serve at 5-6.
Yibing caused Carlos’ error in the second point for 2-0 before world no.
2 erased the deficit with a forehand winner in the fifth point. Still pushing strong, Wu cracked a backhand crosscourt winner in the seventh point for 4-3. Alcaraz hit a smash winner for 4-4 and locked the result at 5-5 with a backhand down the line winner.
The better-ranked player landed a crafty slice winner in the 11th point for a set point and converted it after the rival’s mistake, wrapping up the opener after 62 minutes. The Spaniard served well in the second set, keeping the pressure on the other side.
He held at 15 in the first game and closed the third after a deuce with an unreturned serve. Yibing leveled the score at 2-2 with a service winner before facing problems behind the initial shot in game six. The home star played a loose backhand, experiencing the only break of the match and pushing world no.
2 closing to the finish line. Carlos hit an ace in the seventh game for 5-2, forcing his rival to serve to stay in the match. Wu fired a forehand crosscourt winner in the eighth game, reducing the deficit and prolonging the battle.
However, Alcaraz held at 5-3 with a forced error, sealing the deal and moving over the top.
“I did not feel the pressure. Yibing did not let me play as aggressively as I’m used to.
He is a powerful player, hitting harder and deeper than me; I’m not used to those feelings. I had to focus on the exchanges as much as possible and play at my best. Yibing played really well; all credit to him. The entire match had only one break, and I could have lost the first set.
I was happy to win it in the tie break, and I calmed down a bit in the second set, going for my shots more. I avoided nerves and thought clearly. I knew how tough opponent Yibing was; his level did not surprise me, although it was our first meeting.
He is recovering from an injury, and he belongs to the top. We will see him around more often if he keeps playing like this,” Carlos Alcaraz said.