Zizou Bergs Eliminates Carlos Alcaraz at Shanghai Masters

Belgian tennis player Zizou Bergs eliminated world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz from the Shanghai Masters on Monday, October 12, 2026, winning 7-5, 7-6(4) in the third round in Shanghai, China. Bergs secured the victory in straight sets by maintaining pressure on the Spaniard's serve and capitalizing on crucial points during the second-set tiebreak.

According to Spanish sports newspaper MARCA, Bergs delivered a strong serving performance throughout the match, recording eight aces during the second set alone. His serve exceeded 210 kilometers per hour on several occasions, while one delivery reached 216 kilometers per hour.

Alcaraz attempted to extend the contest after falling behind in the opening set. He broke Bergs while trailing 4-5 in the second set, leveling the score at 5-5 and raising hopes of forcing a deciding set. However, Bergs broke back to move within one game of victory before the Spaniard recovered again to force a tiebreak.

The Belgian then maintained his composure in the decisive sequence, overcoming Alcaraz's resistance to claim the tiebreak 7-4 and complete the upset. The result ended Alcaraz's campaign after he had entered the tournament seeking a deeper run in Shanghai.

During the match, Alcaraz appeared frustrated by his performance and raised concerns about his vision. MARCA recorded the Spaniard saying, "I have a vision problem or something." The match coverage also described exchanges between Alcaraz and his coaching team during the contest.

Coach Samu López encouraged Alcaraz to trust his usual playing style as he tried to recover from the deficit.

"If you miss, miss with what you know how to do. We can turn this around, come on," Samu López told Alcaraz, according to MARCA's live coverage.

Alcaraz also urged himself forward during the second set, shouting, "Let's go, Charly, let's go!" as he attempted to regain momentum.

The defeat followed a promising start to Alcaraz's Shanghai campaign. On October 10, the Spanish player defeated Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerúndolo 6-3, 6-3 in his opening match, securing a place in the third round after just over an hour on court, according to Agence France-Presse in a report published by RFI.

After that victory, Alcaraz expressed satisfaction with his level of play despite limited preparation following the Tokyo tournament.

"I am very, very happy with the way I played today. It was not easy," Alcaraz said after defeating Cerúndolo, according to AFP. "I only had two days of preparation...

I arrived from Tokyo, where the conditions were completely different. I just tried to play my best tennis."

Alcaraz had won the Tokyo title shortly before arriving in Shanghai, marking his first trophy since an extended absence caused by a right wrist injury. According to AFP, the injury kept him away from the circuit from April until late August.

Bergs entered the third-round match after defeating Peru's Ignacio Buse 6-0, 6-3. The Belgian's victory over Alcaraz now sends him beyond the Spaniard into the next stage of the Shanghai tournament, while Alcaraz's campaign ends before the round of 16.