Turin (Italy): Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz brought his trademark energy back to the court on Wednesday at the ATP Finals, overcoming Andrey Rublev 6-3, 7-6(8) in a preliminary group match. The win was a vital response from the Spaniard, who had dropped his opening match to Casper Ruud after dealing with a stomach issue.
This year Alcaraz has won two Grand Slam singles titles, the French Open and Wimbledon, within a few weeks. But had an up-and-down performance in the second half of the season.
On Wednesday, despite not feeling fully recovered, Alcaraz’s performance was all about resilience as he lifted his game to clinch victory in 96 minutes.
He won four consecutive games from 2-3 in the first set, exploiting Rublev’s occasional lapses in ball control. Although Rublev steadied himself in a hard-fought second set, he couldn’t keep Alcaraz from taking the match in straight sets, which culminated in a dramatic tie-break where Alcaraz saved set points at 5/6 and 7/8.
“I feel like in the last match I couldn’t hit good drop shots, and I was thinking, ‘What’s going on?’,” he said. “My style, my game, it’s about playing these kinds of shots and enjoying the game. So I tried to do it today.”
Alcaraz’s 31 winners, compared to Rublev’s 14, highlighted his command of the match. With his versatility, Alcaraz could adapt to Rublev’s baseline-heavy tactics, running down shots from all parts of the court and executing winners from tough positions.
Reflecting on his focus amid feeling unwell, Alcaraz added, “Once you step on the court, you have to forget everything, your struggles outside, and focus on hitting a good forehand, a good backhand, and making good tactics against the opponent.”
Now 1-1 in the John Newcombe Group, Alcaraz next faces Alexander Zverev on Friday, vying for a spot in the semifinals for the second consecutive year.
–IANS
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