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Serena Williams’ Ex-Coach Warns Carlos Alcaraz Playfully After Spaniard Unveils New Look At Shanghai Masters

Carlos Alcaraz made headlines ahead of the 2023 Shanghai Masters with his bold new mustache look, a style choice inspired by his recent Japan Open title win. The Spaniard had agreed with his team to adopt the facial hair as a unified gesture before the tournament, but the move has drawn playful commentary from tennis legend Rick Macci, who once coached Serena and Venus Williams.

Macci jokingly warned on social media that Alcaraz’s critics might blame his mustache if the 20-year-old fails to deliver strong results in China, where he’s seeded second and aiming for his first Masters 1000 crown. Alcaraz started his campaign with a first-round bye and a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory over Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, setting up a third-round clash against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs—a player he previously defeated in straight sets.

The Spaniard’s quest for a Shanghai title comes after a dry stretch at Masters 1000 events, including a final loss to Jannik Sinner at the 2023 Cincinnati Masters and a wrist injury that forced him to skip multiple clay-court tournaments this year. His best prior run in Shanghai ended in the quarterfinals two years ago, leaving him hungry for a deeper push in the tournament’s penultimate ATP 1000 stop of the season.

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