Carlos Alcaraz\u00a0swiftly shook off a sluggish start on Wednesday to record his first ever win at the\u00a0Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.<\/p>\n
The 21-year-old showcased his strategic brilliance in a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over\u00a0Francisco Cerundolo\u00a0to reach the third round at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Alcaraz\u2019s shift to a more aggressive return position between the opening two sets, which accounted for a 44 per cent increase in first-serve returns landed, was instrumental in his one-hour, 37-minute comeback.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t start well. I made a lot of mistakes and I let him play inside the court, dominating the points,\u201d said Alcaraz, who improved to 16-4 in 2025. \u201cI just knew that I had to do something else, play more aggressively, and play my own tennis: drop shots, going to the net and more aggression. The most important change was the return, I tried to return closer to the line and push him.\u201d<\/p>\n
With his 68th Masters 1000 match win, the five-time titlist Alcaraz passed\u00a0Andy Roddick\u00a0for the third most at that level before turning 22 years of age.<\/p>\n
ATP Masters 1000 Win Leaders Before Turning 22 Years of Age<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Although Cerundolo\u2019s forehand is counted as one of his most destructive weapons, the Argentine found great success by outlasting Alcaraz in extended cross-court rallies on the backhand win during the first set. Yet once Alcaraz had moved in to greet Cerundolo\u2019s returns with purpose, Wednesday\u2019s second-round clash had a completely different feel to it.<\/p>\n Bidding to avoid three consecutive tour-level defeats for the first time since 2023, Alcaraz raised his level in a clinical turnaround. The Spaniard crucially saved two break points in the opening game of the second, and found a rasping forehand winner on the run in the ensuing game to set himself on his way and improve to 3-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Cerundolo.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n \u00a0Rafael Nadal<\/td>\n 110<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00a0Novak Djokovic<\/td>\n \u00a075<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00a0Carlos Alcaraz<\/td>\n \u00a068<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u00a0Andy Roddick<\/td>\n \u00a067<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n