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Toni Nadal completely disagrees with Carlos Alcaraz’s complaint in Shanghai, ‘I don’t like excuses’

Carlos Alcaraz’s early exit from the Shanghai Masters was marked by an unusual display of frustration, as the usually composed Spaniard openly criticized the playing conditions during his match. He questioned the inconsistency of the tennis balls, noting how their bounce and speed varied significantly between rounds, and even linked the issue to the court’s indoor-outdoor setup.

Alcaraz’s complaints echoed those of Taylor Fritz, who had previously described the experience as difficult due to the ball’s behavior. However, his coach and mentor Toni Nadal swiftly dismissed such grievances as excuses, recalling a similar situation with Rafael Nadal at the US Open years earlier.

Nadal reportedly told his nephew to adapt or accept defeat, a tactic that reportedly worked—Rafael lost that match and later returned to his usual form. Alcaraz has since moved on from the Shanghai setback, securing a wildcard into the Vienna Open as he looks to regroup ahead of the Paris Masters.

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