Alcaraz won the first set 6-4 but fell in the next two to close out the contest.

“I felt like it was the worst match that I’ve ever played on my career,” Alcaraz told reporters after the match. “I’ve been practicing really well. I was feeling great. But I couldn’t play. I want to forget it and try to move on to New York.”

With the win, Monfils got his most signature victory in two years.

The world No. 34 ranked player will unquestionably elevate in rank ahead of the US Open beginning later this month.

Alcaraz, who won silver at the Olympics earlier this month, was playing in his first tournament since the conclusion of the Summer Games.

“It never happened before, because I could control those feelings,” Alcaraz said of his racket smashing. “Today I couldn’t. I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis. It was really frustrating for me. At some point, I didn’t want to be on the court anymore.”

The four-time major championship winner will look to bounce back in the U.S. Open later this month in Queens, where he won the tournament in 2022.

Earlier this year, Alcaraz won both the French Open and Wimbledon.