WATCH: Rare display of anger from Carlos Alcaraz as Spaniard throws his racket in frustration after intense ATP Finals moment vs Alexander Zverev
Carlos Alcaraz lost his temper during his clash against Alexander Zverev at the 2024 ATP Finals. The Spaniard threw his racket in frustration after losing the opening set.
Alcaraz played his final round-robin match in the year-end tournament against Zverev on Friday, November 15. The Spaniard needed a win to bolster his chances of reaching the semifinals. Meanwhile, Zverev had to secure just a set to make it to the next round.
After more than an hour of intense contest, Zverev edged out Alcaraz 7-6(5) to claim the opening set. The German seemed likely to miss his set point at 6-5 after a loose forehand shot. However, Alcaraz overplayed his shot as it bounced wide of the sideline.
Alcaraz stood on the court in disbelief for a few seconds before smashing the racket hard on top of his racket bag. Watch the video below:
Zverev was strong with his serve throughout the match. The second set was relatively straightforward as the German broke once and held his serve, winning the match 7-6(5), 6-4.
With the win, Alexander Zverev leads Alcaraz in the head-to-head (6-5). He enters the semifinals after winning all his group stage matches in straight sets. He will be joined by Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz, who have already qualified from the Ilie Nastase Group.
Carlos Alcaraz is now 1-2, with his only win coming against Andrey Rublev. The Spaniard has not yet been eliminated from the competition. However, his chances are pretty slim.
"Carlos Alcaraz beat me too many times this year; I'm happy I got this one" - Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev expressed delight at getting the better of Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 ATP Finals after losing "too many times this year" to the Spaniard. During the on-court interview, the German said:
"He beat me too many times this year in important matches, so I'm happy I got this one."
Zverev touched upon his rivalry with Alcaraz. He joked that it is always "nice" to play against the four-time Grand Slam champion except for when he ends up on the losing side.
"I feel like we have a pretty good rivalry with a great friendship as well. It's always nice to play against him, except when he beats me... That's not nice. But sharing the court with him.. he's a great guy," he added.
With his win on Friday, Alexander Zverev secured the top spot in the John Newcombe group. He will play against Fritz in the semifinals on Saturday. This will be their twelfth meeting on the tour, with Fritz leading 6-5.