Carlos Alcaraz dumped out of the Shanghai Masters after Zizou Bergs completes stunning upset

Shockwaves have been sent through Shanghai. Carlos Alcaraz, the No.2 seed and big title favourite, has crashed out to the hands of Zizou Bergs. His quest to win the Shanghai Masters for the first time prolongs with his Belgian opponent picking up a fine 7-5, 7-6(4) victory.

It was evident that Alcaraz was not happy on court, ranting to his team and sharing his displeasure around the balls and the court. He was not able to adapt and paid the ultimate price with an early exit coming as a huge surprise.

Bergs pulled off every trick in the book to defeat the seven-time Grand Slam champion. After winning the first set, he left Alcaraz waiting with a bathroom break that took eight minutes. It was an unusual delay, but it seemed to work with the Spaniard never being able to find any sort of rhythm on court.

It was a first return to this event since 2024, and a first Masters 1000 event since the Monte-Carlo Masters. He was not able to back up the tremendous title charge at the Japan Open, blowing this tournament wide open.

This time last year, Bergs reached the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters. It is still his best run at this level, and it could get even better. He was on top in the first set, seeing his first break of serve getting an emphatic response by Alcaraz. He left it late to sew up the set before seeingly spurning a golden chance to serve it out. He was forced to go into a tiebreak, but kept his cool to pull off a huge victory.

On paper, it seemed that this would be a particularly routine win for someone of Alcaraz's calibre. He dropped just six games against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in a fine performance, but that was not replicated this time out.

Bergs struck first to take a 3-2 lead, sending out a statement of intent to Alcaraz. He matched that, breaking instantly back before surviving a break point chance by Bergs at 404. He would not get so lucky the next time round.

Bergs clinically converted his next opportunity, and led 6-5. While Alcaraz was unable to create any break points in the next game, it took a while for Bergs to get over the line. With a fourth set point, he blasted ahead of his esteemed rival.

The second set was much more routine in terms of service games with 10 holds. Bergs came back from his toilet break where he changed his outfit a long time after the regulated five minutes, leaving Alcaraz and the crowd to patiently wait for the match to restart.

Those holds or serve ended in dramatic fashion. Alcaraz slipped up, and Bergs pounced. He led 6-5, and would have the chance to serve it out. Alcaraz fought back and forced a tiebreak. It seemed that Bergs' chance may have come and gone, but that was not the case.

He strode out into a 3-1 lead before Alcaraz got back on level terms at 4-4. From that point, Bergs was in control. He won the next three points, closing out the match in fine fashion and sending Alcaraz out of the Shanghai Masters at this very early stage.

He was extremely happy about the result. “It’s a little bit of both. Disbelief and not feeling too much," he said after the match. “It feels like one of the moments you don’t really realise it’s going on, you’re just really in the moment, being focused on the points you have to play. Yeah, I think we’re now one minute after the match, so it’s tough to calm down a little bit, but I will be very happy.”

He will take on either Tommy Paul or the reigning champion, Valentin Vacherot, in the last-16.