Carlos Alcaraz picked up another win at the Cincinnati Open, but the star made a stunning admission after his match with Hamad Medjedovic.
The World No. 2 picked up a straight sets victory against the Serbian to set up a match with Luca Nardi in the next round.
Alcaraz looked shaky against Damir Džumhur in round one of the Cincinnati Open, but the result was never in doubt against Medjedovic in round two.
However, Alcaraz admitted to something after his match that makes his incredible form even more impressive.
Carlos Alcaraz said he rarely feels good when playing tennis
Alcaraz picked up his 50th win on the ATP Tour in 2025 against Medjedovic, which was made all the more incredible by what the Spaniard said after the match.
“More than half of the matches we play, you don’t feel that good,” said Alcaraz on court after confirming his place in the Cincinnati Open round of 16.
“You have to think positive and just play your best tennis possible that day,” added the Roland Garros champion.
| Carlos Alcaraz’s Cincinnati Open | Result |
| Round One | Bye |
| Round Two | Damir Džumhur (6-1, 2-6, 6-3) |
| Round Three | Hamad Medjedovic (6-4, 6-4) |
| Round Four | Luca Nardi (to play) |
“I’m really happy that in really difficult matches I’m able to play my best tennis even though I’m not feeling the right way. I’m just happy and proud about it because it’s something I’m working on.”
Alcaraz has struggled with concentration issues for much of the year, with the star dropping several sets even during matches he wins.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Luca Nardi head-to-head
Nardi has made full use of his ‘Lucky Loser’ status by reaching the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open with wins over Jakub Mensik and Denis Shapovalov.
The Italian won the first set against Mensik in the third round before the rising Czech star retired from action.
He heads into his match against Alcaraz having only played one other time against the Roland Garros champion.
They met at the Doha Open earlier this year, which saw Alcaraz pick up the victory in the round of 16 in three sets.