Teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz has been unfairly criticised for his US open exit according to a prominent ATP star.World number 24 Reilly Opelka is bemused by commentators who said Alcaraz showed weakness by retiring from his quarter-final clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime.
After battling through two five set epics in the previous two rounds, covering almost eight hours on-court, the 18-year-old cut his last eight encounter short in order to preserve his body and ensure his fitness.
Opelka defended the star for his actions, particularly responding to a tweet that labelled the match a ‘sudden surrender’ that was ‘very disappointing’ and ‘hope[fully] not a pattern for the 18-year-old’.
“The only thing that is a pattern here is the tennis media being absolute joke,” Opelka said in his Twitter address.
“Carlos [Alcaraz] is the youngest male player to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final in over 30 years. Yet somehow you manage to come up with this?”
The only thing that is a pattern here is tennis media being an absolute joke. Carlos is the youngest male player to reach a Grand Slam QF in over 30 years. Yet somehow you manage to come up with this? https://t.co/wguJqiVPVI
