Daily Dose of Social Media: Can a fan win a point from a pro? Alcaraz, Rune, and Bublik test the theory

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, the stars of the Monte-Carlo Masters played against fans who tried to prove they could steal at least one point from players like Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune, Alexander Bublik, and Grigor Dimitrov, among others.

Dimitrov and Alcaraz were two of the main protagonists of the day, with the Bulgarian being caught analyzing his next tournament opponent on-site, while Alcaraz reacted to his latest viral video: an incredible tweener against Daniel Altmaier.

Fans take on ATP stars in an epic point-battling challenge

The ATP stars who gathered at the Monte-Carlo Masters took part in an entertaining activity designed to settle once and for all a question many have asked: Is it possible for a tennis fan to win a point against an ATP professional? On this occasion, big names in tennis like Carlos Alcaraz, Grigor Dimitrov, Holger Rune, and Alexander Bublik, among others, shared the court with several fans who had the chance to face off against them.

Despite the excitement of the event, most of the players didn’t attempt to lower their level of play out of respect for their opponents, allowing us to see, for example, Alcaraz or Bublik serving at full power. The difference in skill was clear, but that didn’t take away from the fun of the moment. The big question now is: Will any fan, by pure luck or skill, manage to steal a point from one of the best players in the world? Undoubtedly, this activity left a lasting impression and many stories for the participants, who lived a unique experience.

Monte-Carlo crowd erupts in 'Olé!' as Dimitrov defeats Tabilo

Grigor Dimitrov received massive support from the crowd at the Monte-Carlo Masters following a remarkable win over Alejandro Tabilo. The crowd was heard chanting "¡Olé, olé, olé, olé!" in an emotional moment after the Bulgarian’s victory over the Chilean, which secured his spot in the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters. Dimitrov triumphed 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in a match held on Thursday at the Monte-Carlo Country Club.

Tabilo, who had stunned by defeating Novak Djokovic in the previous round, couldn’t handle Dimitrov’s experience, as the Bulgarian demonstrated his skill to advance to the next round, where he will face Australian Alex de Minaur, the 8th seed.

This marks Dimitrov’s fifth appearance in the quarterfinals in Montecarlo and his second Masters 1000 quarterfinal of the year. The 33-year-old Bulgarian had previously defeated Chilean Nicolás Jarry (6-3, 6-4) and local wildcard Valentin Vacherot (4-6, 6-3, 6-1) in earlier rounds. Meanwhile, Tabilo, ranked No. 32, had eliminated Swiss wildcard Stan Wawrinka (1-6, 7-5, 7-5) and Serbian Novak Djokovic (6-3, 6-4) in his previous matches.

The former world No. 3 later closely followed the match between Daniil Medvedev and Alex de Minaur on the Center Court. The Australian dominated the former world No. 1 with a crushing 6-2, 6-2 victory and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters for the second consecutive year. De Minaur leads their head-to-head 3-2, though all previous encounters have been on hard courts.

Alcaraz reacts to epic tweener against Altmaier

Carlos Alcaraz reacted to the epic tweener he played during his match against Daniel Altmaier, arguably the best point of the tournament so far, and one that will surely be in the running for one of the best points of the year. The 3-time Grand Slam champion delivered a remarkable performance against the German, defeating him 6-1, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals, set for Friday, April 11.

The 4-time Grand Slam champion left the crowd at Court des Princes in awe after winning an incredible rally. Alcaraz was approaching the net following a dropshot from Altmaier, but then the Spaniard had to quickly sprint back across the court to reach a ball that forced him to hit a tweener, including a lob, which ultimately gave him one of the most epic points of the tournament so far. After the match, Alcaraz relived the moment and shared his thoughts, this time watching himself from outside the court.

Doubles match interrupted by player's phone

The Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers provided a funny moment when the doubles match between Poland and Switzerland was interrupted by a phone ringing. What was curious about it was that it wasn’t anyone from the crowd, but one of the players on the court. Maja Chwalinska and Martyna Kubka from Poland were facing Celine Naef and Jil Teichmann in the doubles match. While Naef was serving in the third set (3-6, 6-4, 1-0), her phone started ringing, and it took her several seconds to realize it was her own phone ringing inside her bag with the rackets. The player took the unusual situation in stride and quickly ran to the bench to turn off the phone.

The tie ended with Poland winning 3-0 against Switzerland, both countries missing their top stars: World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic. However, Katarzyna Kawa started with a tight win over Jil Teichmann in the first match, and then Magda Linette came through with a straight-set victory over Viktorija Golubic. The doubles match also went in favor of the Polish team.

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