He knocks down the Californian before his public (6-3 and 6-3) and breaks a new record for precociousness on the circuit
Efficiency, solidity and poise. He did not need much more Carlos Alcaraz to overcome the American Mckenzie McDonald (6-3 and 6-3 in 1 hour and 34 minutes of play) in his first match in Indian Wells. This Saturday’s victory in the second round of the Californian Masters 1000 gives the Murcian player another record of precocity in the circuit. The tennis player from El Palmar has already won many victories in seven different major tournaments before turning 19 years old. Indian Wells has been the last to join the prestigious list along with the four Grand Slams, and the Madrid and Paris-Bercy masters. He plays like a veteran as a kid.
It was a tough test for him to face McDonald. First, because he is a rival who had been playing well and was more grounded than him on the concrete of Indian Wells. And second, because he had the public on his side. He is Californian and played at home. Court number 3 was filled to support the local player. And the memory of the last time that Alcaraz had an entire stadium against him (last November against Frenchman Hugo Gaston in Paris-Bercy) was very bitter. The Murcian collapsed that night in the French capital and delivered a game that he had controlled.
With the lesson learned and much more trained as a tennis player, Alcaraz did not give the world number 59 an option this Saturday, a 26-year-old player who put enthusiasm and courage before his public. It was not enough for him against an Alcaraz who already plays like the greats. The match began evenly, with the two contenders breaking serve. McDonald took the lead (1-2) and the stands dreamed of their player’s surprise. That illusion of the Californian fans did not last long.
Because the one from El Palmar was applied early and with that innate ease that he has to hit with his groundstrokes and throwing lethal drop shots, he was often on track for his first victory in Indian Wells, where last year he lost in the first round against the Scotsman AndyMurray. Alcaraz shone a lot for the rest, who was able to get three ‘breaks’ against a McDonald who scored 77% of first serves.
Not even the serve saved the American. He grew up and Alcaraz grew up. He dominated the match in such a way that the young man from Murcia made some wrong decisions at the beginning of the second set. He lost his serve in the fifth game, but he knew how to overcome that adverse situation and carry on the game without major complications. This Monday, in the third round, he will face the winner of the match between Roberto Bautista and the American JJ Wolf.
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