The Spaniard, in an unusual projection, defends his title against a ‘lucky loser’
MADRID, 6 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz faces German Jan-Lennard Struff this Sunday (6:30 p.m.) in the final of the Mutua Madrid Open, the fourth Masters 1,000 of the season, as the current champion and world focus of tennis for a career that, although young, seems unstoppable.
The Murcian aspires to repeat in the Caja Mágica, as he did two weeks ago in the Conde de Godó Trophy in Barcelona, to win his fourth Masters 1,000 and his tenth title in 13 finals in the last two years. Alcaraz’s progression is measured in Madrid like few other places, from winning his first match in this category in 2021 to, a year later, beating Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic on his way to the title.
The young Spaniard does not come down from the last step, although not everything has been smiles, because in his particular fairy tale, Alcaraz had to deal with injuries as the end of 2022 and the beginning of this 2023. However, this Sunday, the pupil Juan Carlos Ferrero will play his fifth final of the season, out of six tournaments played, in search of his fourth title.
The man from El Palmar has everyone speechless due to his mentality, game and physique at his recent 20th birthday. On her day, Friday, Alcaraz treated himself to another final by defeating Croatian Borna Coric 6-4, 6-3. The local idol made it easy during these two weeks at Manolo Santana, but he had a demanding path with Grigo Dimitrov, Alexander Zverev and Karen Khachanov.
“Without wanting to be the best you will never be anybody,” he said after Coric. The Murcian is just as forceful on and off the track, convinced of his work and possibilities to put himself “at the top” of the list of favorites to win Roland Garros. If he does the double in Madrid, he can seal his return to world number one heading into Paris with just one game in Rome.
The Spaniard’s streak comes up against the bizarre story of Struff, the best-used ‘lucky loser’ in the ATP. The German fell in the Madrid tournament preview against the Russian Aslan Karatsev and, eleven days after a coin toss put him in the main draw, he defeated Karatsev himself to aspire to the title.
The 33-year-old German will play his first Masters 1,000 final, the second of his career after the one he lost two years ago in Munich. Struff and Alcaraz have met twice, two tight matches, with the Spanish’s victory last year at Wimbledon and the German’s victory at Roland Garros 2021.
Whatever happens this Sunday, the Mutua Madrid Open will be able to boast of something never seen before: an unstoppable Alcaraz triumphing again at home on his way to a legendary career or a re-fished Struff becoming the first ‘lucky loser’ to win an ATP Masters 1,000 title. since the series began in 1990.