Another Alcaraz passed through Turin. In fact the most genuine Alcaraz. Little to do with the erratic, discouraged and cold player who lost in his debut at the ATP Finals against Casper Ruud. The Murcian, with a pink band-aid on his nose to breathe better, reacted, gave a good account of the Russian Andrei Rublev, whom he beat 6-3 and 7-6 (8) in 1 hour and 35 minutes, and will be played tomorrow against Alexander Zverev his presence in the semifinals of the masters tournament.
The day before everything was questions and suspense around Alcaraz. Will your cold go away in time? Will it be in minimally competitive conditions? Will he have time to recover his best version for the Davis Cup in Malaga next week? His coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, answered them all as best he could and always with a point of hope and optimism.
That bit was confirmed before Rublev. The artist Alcaraz, the one with a silk glove and an iron fist, the one who alternates jabs with velvet touches, emerged before Rublev to take out his fist, put his hand next to his ear and offer that repertoire of drop shots and goldsmith plays that make get the audience out of their seats. In the first set he broke the Russian’s serve in the seventh game to inject confidence and put his foot on the accelerator. 6-3 in 37 minutes and everything in sight to sign the victory.
Alcaraz wore a pink band-aid on his nose to breathe better due to his cold
The Murcian had gained confidence but Rublev held his own and did not collapse. The pupil of Fernando Vicente and Beto Martín continued to persist in search of a loophole, of course, always complaining and muttering fire from his mouth at each failure. Meanwhile, Alcaraz, good on serve, took advantage of every break to inhale an ointment to alleviate nasal congestion. The heat, very competitive, led to sudden death. There Alcaraz starred in a sensational point with 4-3 in favor. An almost impossible point in which he went from an improbable defense to a winning passing. It seemed, at 5-3, on the safe path to victory but he then committed a double fault and still had to work. He saved two set points and in the second that was created in the match he sentenced with a devastating return. Another Alcaraz. The authentic Alcaraz. On Friday they will play to be in the semi-finals.
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