Alcaraz admits to 'poor level' after shock Miami exit

Carlos Alcaraz suffered a stunning early exit from the Miami Open, falling to Belgian veteran David Goffin in a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 defeat at Hard Rock Stadium on 22 march. The world number three, who had been considered one of the favourites for the title, struggled to find his rhythm and later admitted that his performance had been well below his usual standards.

Despite edging the first set, Alcaraz never looked fully in control. His serve was inconsistent, and he found it difficult to impose himself against an opponent ranked 55th in the world. Goffin, a former top-10 player, grew in confidence as the match progressed, forcing Alcaraz into long rallies and capitalising on his uncharacteristic errors.

The Spaniard later admitted that he had not felt physically at his best, particularly as the match wore on. "It was a poor level from me," Alcaraz conceded. "I didn't play well, physically I didn't feel well. When you don't have confidence in your physical level, it's really tough to maintain good tennis."

Although he clarified that he was not carrying an injury or illness, he felt his legs become heavy towards the end of the second set. "I was feeling perfectly fine before the match. I wasn't injured, I wasn't sick. I just felt tired towards the end, and when you're not moving well, it's hard to play your best."

Sensing his opponent's struggles, Goffin stepped up his game in the deciding set. The Belgian broke Alcaraz in the opening game and maintained his advantage with steady, controlled tennis. While Alcaraz looked increasingly frustrated, Goffin remained composed, making the most of his opportunities and taking control of rallies with precise shot-making.

Goffin's strong serving proved crucial, as he landed 65% of his first serves, according to ATP stats. The former world number seven also kept his unforced errors to a minimum, while Alcaraz's game became increasingly erratic.

By the final stages, the Spaniard looked out of ideas, with his usually aggressive shot-making failing to trouble the Belgian. Goffin sealed victory with a confident service hold, completing one of the biggest upsets of the tournament so far.

For Alcaraz, the defeat means he remains locked in at world number three in the rankings. The Spaniard had a chance to move ahead of Alexander Zverev into the number two spot if he had won the title in Miami, but that opportunity has now slipped away.

With this being just his third opening-match defeat at an ATP Masters 1000 event, Alcaraz will be eager to bounce back and rediscover his best form as the clay-court season approaches. "I just wanted to play better. I thought I was going to be better after the first set, but it didn't happen," he admitted. "We have to learn from this and move forward."