Sunday, October 6, 2024, 16:02
After more than an hour and a half, Carlos Alcaraz finally celebrates and sighs when the combative Yibing Wu (7-6(5) and 6-3) gives way, a much tougher bone than his 560th position in the ‘ ATP ranking. «I’m not used to feeling like I do today on the track. “He dominated me on many occasions,” the Murcian acknowledged after the victory, who passed the demanding and tricky initial test at the Shanghai Masters 1000, with two first matches in 24 hours with hardly any rest after winning the title in Beijing.
Alcaraz in China has become the destroyer of local illusions, since in the first two rounds he has encountered the only tennis players in the country who have won an ATP title. However, the second test was much harder for Shang, although Wu’s trophy arrived at the beginning of 2023, since then he has suffered from injuries, has had little joy on the ATP circuit and is already very far from the position. 54 of the ‘ranking’ it reached last year.
In any case, Wu is still 24 years old and must use this positive week in Shanghai as a springboard, since he displayed his best version, which even surprised Carlos Alcaraz. «His level deserves to be at the top of this sport. If he continues like this, we will see him more often,” acknowledged the Murcian, who sweated hard to win a first set in the tie-break in which he added fewer winners than his rival.
After that tiebreaker, which was resolved with pick and shovel, the inertia of the match began to go in their favor. But Carlos Alcaraz’s bench did not breathe until he got his first break in favor, in the seventh game of the second set, and Wu’s power began to fade. So the streak of Carlos Alcaraz continues, who has 11 wins and is already in the round of 16, the peak he reached in his first participation in Shanghai last year. At the next station awaits a Frenchman, Monfils or Humbert, who will arrive with less rest as they will not be able to play their match this Sunday due to the rain.
Another day spent in water
It is already the second consecutive day spent in water and not a single match could be played on the outside courts, which is shaking up the tournament because there are still matches in the other half of the draw that have been pending since Saturday. That is to say, while players like Alcaraz are already in the fourth round, others like Thompson and Griekspoor still have to play their second round match, even though the winner should play the third round this Monday against Zverev, who has qualified since Saturday.
The disorder is very complex and the forecast also foresees possible rain on Monday. This Sunday, only the four scheduled matches were played on the central court, with a roof, in which Sinner and Medvedev also advanced with suffering, both with victories in three sets against Etcheverry and Arnaldi, respectively.
#Carlos #Alcaraz #stops #combative #advances #Shanghai #truth