Cincinnati Open: Jack Draper scores controversial win as Carlos Alcaraz smashes his racket in defeat

Alcaraz was beaten 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 by Frenchman Monfils in a second-round match postponed from the previous day due to rain.

The 21-year-old Spaniard, who won the French Open and Wimbledon titles this year, smashed his racket after failing to break Monfils, 37, in the third set.

“Sometimes I felt like breaking the racket,” Alcaraz said. “That had never happened to me before, because I could control myself in those situations, in those feelings.

“Most of the time I was able to control myself and it could have gone better in the matches or in the situation I felt before.

“Today I couldn’t control myself because, as I said, I felt like I wasn’t playing any tennis.”

The match resumed in a second set tie-break which Monfils won before winning the deciding set for victory.

“I felt like it was the worst game I’ve played in my career,” Alcaraz said.

“I couldn’t play. Honestly, I trained very well here, in this tournament. The days before, I felt good, I hit the ball clearly, I moved well. I don’t know what happened.

“I don’t know how I felt, but I couldn’t control myself. I couldn’t be better. So this match, it was impossible to win.”

Monfils then played Rune later in the day and was beaten 3-6 6-3 6-4 by the Dane.

Meanwhile, world number one Iga Swiatek advanced to the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open with a comfortable 6-2 6-2 victory over Marta Kostyuk.

She will face Mirra Andreeva, who beat Italian Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini 3-6 6-3 6-2.

“I’m glad I was solid. I was disciplined with all the things I wanted to take care of,” Swiatek said.

Aryna Sabalenka claimed a 7-5 6-2 victory over Elina Svitolina, while Jessica Pegula won a delayed second-round match against Karolina Muchova 5-7 6-4 6-2 before beating Taylor Townsend 6-2 6-3 in her second match of the day.