Carlos Alcaraz debuted a newly grown mustache alongside his team and secured his seventh consecutive victory at the Shanghai Masters, defeating Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerúndolo 6-3, 6-3 in just over an hour. Playing in an unbranded sleeveless kit complete with a silver chain and undershirt, the Spanish player faced zero break points while striking 22 winners to Cerúndolo’s eight, according to match reports. While Novak Djokovic exited the tournament early, Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev advanced comfortably into the next round.
Mustaches and Match Dominance in Shanghai
The visual focal point of Alcaraz’s opening match at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena was not just his aggressive baseline play, but facial hair coordinated across his support staff. Alcaraz confirmed to reporters on-site that the look originated from a pre-tournament wager made before his run in Tokyo. The mustache is going to stay during the week,
Alcaraz said in a post-match court interview. Before Tokyo we said that if we won the tournament we had to do it all in the team. It’s another way of having fun. It’s here to stay.
Beyond the courtside styling, the world-class competitor showed absolute control on serve. Reports from ORM noted that Alcaraz opened the first set with high service percentages—landing 77 percent initially before finishing the match winning 86 percent of points on his first delivery and conceding only nine total points on his own serve. He broke Cerúndolo three times to wrap up the straight-sets win in roughly sixty minutes.
Contrasting Fortunes for Spanish Contenders
While Alcaraz cruised past the younger Cerúndolo brother—noting a prior friendship with Francisco Cerúndolo—compatriot Rafael Jódar faced a much stiffer test on the hard courts. Jódar battled back from a set down to defeat Thiago Agustín Tirante 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, breaking a slump that saw him exit Tokyo in the opening round with only four games won. That comeback victory keeps the teenager alive in the Race to Turin for the ATP Finals, where he currently sits tenth following Jannik Sinner’s injury absence. Meanwhile, veteran Pablo Carreño joined his countrymen in the third round by defeating Alejandro Tabilo 7-5, 6-4, setting up a clash against fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Next Opponents and Tournament Outlook
Alcaraz advances to face the winner of the match between Ignacio Buse and Zizou Bergs as he pursues the third Masters 1000 title of his career, having previously claimed crowns in Canada and Paris. With Djokovic eliminated and Sinner sidelined, the draw has opened significantly for the top-tier contenders. Alcaraz will continue his campaign on the Shanghai hard courts under strict tournament protocols, with schedule timings dependent on local match developments.
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