Carlos Alcaraz admits 'poor level' after stunning Miami exit against David Goffin

Goffin, a former world No 7 currently ranked 55th, prevailed 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 against second seed Alcaraz in the second round of the Masters 1000 event.

Alcaraz battled back from a break down at 3-4 to take the opening set, but his 34-year-old Belgian opponent was the stronger player thereafter.

After the first set, Goffin did not face a break point and he broke the four-time Grand Slam winner a further three times as he sealed a stunning triumph.

Alcaraz, who won the Miami Open in 2022, has now lost back-to-back matches after he fell to Jack Draper in the Indian Wells semi-finals last week.

The world No 3 offered an honest assessment of his display in his press conference.

"It was a poor level from me," Alcaraz said. "I just wanted to play better. After the first set, I thought I was going to be better.

"He played well, he played good tennis. My level didn't increase. I think his level after the first set increased a little bit.

"I didn't play well, physically I didn't feel well. When you don't have the confidence of your level physically, I think it's really tough to maintain good tennis.

"I didn't feel well in my legs. I wasn't injured, I wasn't sick. I was feeling perfectly before the match. I felt good, a little bit nervous, which is normal before the match. But nothing more than that. I just felt ready, I thought that I was going to play really good tennis. It didn't happen."

Goffin now holds a 2-1 record against Alcaraz, having also won the pair's previous clash in Astana in 2022.

The six-time ATP titlist highlighted the importance of adopting an aggressive approach against the former world No 1.

"It feels amazing. Sometimes some matches are tough and you have to fight, like the first round (when he beat Aleksandar Vukic from a set down), and you're happy to have a second round like that in a stadium," Goffin said.

"That's why I continue to play tennis, to have that kind of match in a stadium, to play some good tennis.

"[I was] just trying to enjoy the moment⦠I felt that physically I was ready to fight and then I was feeling the ball really well, so it's the kind of night that you feel great and you're happy to fight, you enjoy every point and at the end it's it's a perfect end with a great match point. It was amazing.

"I think it was key to be aggressive from the return, especially on his second serve. Sometimes he hits the target on the first serve and you cannot do anything.

"The key was, even if I missed, I had to be aggressive. Because otherwise, if I'm just too passive, then he has his forehand or⦠he has everything. If you're too passive, then you're dead."

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