Tomas Machac’s impressive run at the 2024 Shanghai Masters ended with his loss to Italy’s Jannik Sinner. However, the highlight of the hard-fought semifinal was Machac’s hilarious moment with the crowd, which had everyone in splits.
While the two players battled for a spot in the final, they had the legendary Roger Federer watching from the stands. Federer’s supporters continue to love him despite his retirement from the sport, as seen by one particular incident during this semifinal clash.
When Sinner was getting ready to serve, a fan from the crowd screamed, “We love you, Federer.”
While the Italian didn’t mind much, Machac was a bit disappointed. He quickly asked the fan, “What about me?” His lighthearted moment had the entire crowd, including Federer, bursting into laughter. Even Sinner couldn’t help but smile.
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Federer’s presence in the stands usually signifies the quality of players in action. It also acts as motivation for the players on the court to deliver their best tennis.
Despite losing the semifinal to Sinner, Machac can take a lot of positives from his run in the Shanghai Masters. In fact, there are plenty of positives for him to take from this season as a whole.
A look back at Machac’s season
Ranked 33 in the world, Machac won $1,358,119 in prize money so far this season. Though the 23-year-old could not win a single title this year, he made significant inroads by progressing deep in several tournaments. His best performance came at the Geneva Open, where he reached the final before ultimately losing to Casper Ruud.
His US Open stint went pretty well. Machac made it to the round of 16, which is also the highest level he has achieved at a Grand Slam, where he lost to Jack Draper. He also qualified for the semi-final of the ATP 500 Japan Open and the quarterfinal of the ATP 1000 Miami Open.
The Czech star recently pulled off a major upset by defeating four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinal of the Shanghai Masters. Machac’s performance in the match was so impressive that the Spaniard felt like he was competing against a top-five-ranked player.
“Not even Top 10, no, Top 5. His level was so high. I thought that he was going to give me an opportunity, a window, but he didn’t,” admitted Alcaraz after his defeat.
Not only is Machac catching the eyes of supporters with his quality tennis, but his witty sense of humor has also made him a big hit among fans. These are qualities that fans loved in Federer. While it may be too early to compare Machac to the Swiss legend, it’s difficult to keep him out of the spotlight.
The pace at which Machac is progressing suggests he isn’t far from fulfilling his potential and becoming a household name in the sport. He is undoubtedly the breakout men’s star of 2024.
