SHANGHAI (AP) — Zizou Bergs stunned second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 7-6 (4) to advance to the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters on Monday.
Bergs converted his first match point with a ninth ace to beat the tournament favorite in the biggest win of his career. It was second encounter on the tour between the pair and a first victory for Bergs.
After the match Bergs said he has “too much respect for (top players), which is part of my culture and I’m
proud of that. But it gets a little bit in the way when you have to play them.”
He added this result can help him change that.
“To have this moment, for me it is a little bit of a relief. I feel like now I really can win against these guys. Not just I can play against them, but I can win against them.”
He hit 24 winners on the way to victory, compared to 16 of his opponent at their round of 32 match in the ATP 1000 tennis event.
Next, Bergs will face Tommy Paul after the American knocked out defending champion Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-2.
The loss for Alcaraz means that Alexander Zverev will complete the year as the No. 1.
Breaking Alcaraz for the second time to take a 6-5 lead in the opening set, Bergs used his fourth set point to serve it out after Alcaraz hit the net.
The 39th-ranked Belgian broke Alcaraz for a 6-5 lead in the second set but failed to serve out the match with the Spaniard breaking back to force the tiebreaker.
Alcaraz, who won last week’s Japan Open, fought back from 4-2 down to tie it at 4 but Bergs then recovered to build two match points. The Belgian only needed one.
“I’m very happy how I handled the tiebreak,” Bergs said. “It’s never easy to get broken when you are serving for the match, but to get back in the tiebreak and play those key moments, serve big, I’m very happy with that one especially.”
Also, fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev eased past Dalibor Svrcina 6-2, 6-3.
In his second straight victory since being disqualified at the China Open for hitting a spectator in the eye with a ball, Medvedev converted his fourth match point when his Czech opponent sent a backhand volley wide.
Fourth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime eliminated Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 and Stefanos Tsitsipas came from a set down to knock out 11th-seeded Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
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