Alcaraz praises Wu: “He didn’t let me play as aggressive as I wanted”

Chinese Wu Yibing couldn’t defeat Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the third round of Shangai Masters on Sunday but his effort has certainly impressed the Spaniard. Alcaraz finished the match in two sets (7-6 (5), 6-3) but there was more to the battle than the scoreline.

Rallied by the home crowd, Wu resisted the world No 2 for more than 60 minutes in the opening set, thwarting two break points. He fared better in hitting aces and winners as well, with tallies of five and 16 against Alcaraz’s three and 13, respectively.

The Spaniard raised his level in the second set but couldn’t break Wu’s serve more than once. The world No 560 from China also ended the match with a higher average of 71 percent on first serve landings to his opponent’s 61.

Thus, Alcaraz spoke highly of Wu in the on-court interview after the match on Sunday.

The world No 2, who landed in Shanghai after a triumphant run in Beijing that saw him take world No 1 Jannik Sinner down in the final, later revealed in his press conference that Wu restricted him from playing his natural game.

He didn’t let me play as aggressive as I wanted, or as aggressive that I’m used to playing the last couple of weeks.”

Carlos Alcaraz

“He hit it stronger than me, deeper than me,” the Spaniard said. “I had to stay there, I had to put myself into the rally as much longer as I could. I have to give credit to him as well, because he played a really solid match. Just one break, the first serve was so close as well, he could win that first set, so just happy to be able to win in the tiebreak.”

Wu returned to competitive tennis in April this year following a foot surgery in 2023. The former world No 54 competed in Houston and then turned to the Challenger circuit to regain his form. He played in Hangzhou for only his second tournament on the ATP Tour calendar but was able to trouble Alcaraz in Shanghai.

“In the second set it was much better for me,” Alcaraz added in the presser. “But I knew his level at the beginning of the match, I wasn’t surprised at all. I knew that it was going to be a battle, so I was ready for that, but I’m really, really happy to get through in straight sets.”

Wu began his Shanghai Master campaign by defeating India’s Sumit Nagal 6-3, 6-3 and then upset Chilean Nicolas Jarry, the No 25 seed, 6-2, 6-1 in the second round.

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