"This match marked me for life": Alcaraz's revelation about Paris-Bercy 2021

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Arthur Millot

le 17/11/2025 à 09h50

1 min to read

Alcaraz Gaston

Carlos Alcaraz has revealed the most difficult match of his career in front of a crowd.

The Spaniard is not just a phenomenon of precociousness: he is also a young champion who has progressed through difficult moments. And recently, he stated this:

"I haven't talked about it much, but the most difficult match I have ever played in my career in front of a crowd took place at Paris-Bercy 2021. I will never forget it for the rest of my life. I grew a lot thanks to that match."

This Paris third round, lost to Hugo Gaston (6-4, 7-5) in 2021, was a shock for him. At just 18 years old, the young Spaniard faced the pressure, and a crowd overwhelmingly in favor of his opponent.

To recap, during the night session on the Central Court, Alcaraz was on the verge of leveling the match at one set all and was leading 5 games to 0. But under significant pressure from the crowd, the native of El Palmar cracked and lost (6-4, 7-5).

This duel therefore constituted one of the major turning points in the career of the 22-year-old player. And since then, his career speaks for itself: 6 Grand Slams and 8 Masters 1000 titles.