“Alcaraz will crush me” – Monfils ahead of Shanghai Masters pre-quarters meet

Frenchman Gael Monfils reached the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters by winning against No 16 seed Ugo Humbert 7-6 (7), 2-6, 6-1 at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center on Tuesday.

Monfils and Humbert were locked in for more than two hours during the three-setter that saw both players break each other’s serves thrice.

The veteran Frenchman hit 10 aces and 28 winners against the youngster’s five and 23, respectively, to advance.

Monfils, ranked No 46, will face Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, the No 3 seed, next. Alcaraz maintains a 2-1 lead in the head-to-head, but the 38-year-old prevailed (4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4) in their latest match-up at Cincinnati Masters earlier this year.

The Frenchman, however, seems convinced the Spaniard will avenge the Cincinnati loss.

I think Alcaraz will beat me. He will crush me a hundred percent.”

Gael Monfils

“I think I was just lucky,” Monfils said in his post-match presser. “Last time I was very fortunate, and it was not a good match from him, and one of my good match from me. His level is unbelievable. I have also done great myself, but he’s, as I say, coming up legend.

“So, I guess he will crush me, but as I say, I will do everything to not be crushed too easy, in a way. But everything is bonus, you know. It’s going to be a 99 percent chance for him, but just to get a percent, you know, so that’s why you go. I’m going to enjoy myself, but as a real man I tell you, no, this kid is something else.

In the previous rounds of the Shanghai tournament, Gael Monfils beat Bosnian Damir Dzumhur (6-4, 6-3) and edged out Argentinian Sebastian Baez, the No 22 seed (6-3, 4-6, 6-4).

No 3 seed Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, has thus far defeated China’s Shang Juncheng (6-2, 6-2) and Wu Yibing (7-6 (5), 6-3) in Shanghai.

Shanghai Masters 1000, other third-round results (Qi Zhong Tennis Center, hard, USD 8.995.555, most recent results first):

• Tallon Griekspoor vs. Alexander Zverev
• Flavio Cobolli vs. Novak Djokovic
• David Goffin vs. Marcos Giron
• Jiri Lehecka vs. Holger Rune
• Frances Tiafoe vs. Roman Safiullin
• Alexei Popyrin vs. Grigor Dimitrov
• Roberto Carballes Baena vs. Ben Shelton
• Taylor Fritz vs. Yosuke Watanuki
• Jakub Mensik beat Alexander Shevchenko: 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2
• Tomas Machac (30) beat Aleksandar Vukic (Q): 6-4, 6-2
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (10) beat Alexandre Muller: 6-3, 7-5
• Tommy Paul (11) beat Alejandro Tabilo (19): 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6), 6-2
• Carlos Alcaraz beat Yibing Wu (WC): 7-6 (5), 6-3
• Jannik Sinner (1) beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry (31): 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2
• Daniil Medvedev (5) beat Matteo Arnaldi (29): 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

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