Second seed Carlos Alcaraz fell victim to a qualifier playing his first main draw as he exited the third round of the Rome Masters 6-3, 7-6 (4) at the hands of Hungarian Fabian Marozsan.
The No. 135-ranked outsider handed the player who will return to the ATP top ranking on Monday his third loss of the season; defeat also ended a 12-match clay streak for the Spaniard.
Marozsan won the last six points of the second-set tiebreaker to cement the biggest win of his brief career. The 23-year-old was playing a player ranked in the Top 50 for only the third time.
Marozsan held his nerve against his heavily favoured opponent as he fulfilled what he said was a dream.
“I hoped I could do something special,” he said. “Nov I’ve just beaten the world No. 1 said.
“He’s the best in the sport so I’m very happy.”
The eastern European outsider fired 24 winners and committed just 13 unforced errors; his drop shot proved to be particularly effective against Alcaraz.
“Everything was perfect today, I was doing my job,” the winner said. “I cannot imagine this win, even if it was my dream last night.
“I thought I might win a few games or a set…
“I tried to hit back every ball, I was trying to do my best.””
Alcaraz now stands 30-3 on the season as he prepares to head to Roland Garros as top seed for the first time at a Grand Slam.
Main photo:- Fabian Marozsan celebrates as he beats Carlos Alcaraz in Rome by Corinne Dubreuil/ATPTOUR.com
Carlos Alcaraz needed some clay-court "cleanup on aisle five" to clinch the 6-3, 6-1 defeat…
Brit Jack Draper fell victim to a determined Spanish opponent wrestling with personal demons on…
Novak Djokovic felt nothing but shame on Wednesday after exiting the Monte Carlo Masters 6-3, 6-4…
Carlos Alcaraz stuffed an overhead into the net on a match point chance but recovered poise…
Richard Gasquet bowed out of the Monte Carlo Masters after 23 years as the French hero…
Sefanos Tsitsipas overcame a slow start to his Monte Carlo Masters title defence with the…