MADRID, 14 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz qualified this Monday for the round of 16 of the Indian Wells tournament (United States), the first Masters 1,000 of the season, after beating the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in two sets by 7-6(4), 6- 3, a triumph that allows him to reach one hundred as a professional.
The Murcian player continues to take steps at the age of 19 and with this victory he became the second to reach one hundred on the circuit after having played 132 games. As indicated by the ATP, of all the number ones that have been in the ranking, the one from El Palmar is the second fastest to achieve it, only surpassed by the American John McEnroe, who did it with one less match (100-31) and ahead of Rafa Nadal from the Balearic Islands (100-37).
“I am really proud to get my 100th victory on the ATP circuit and I hope there are many more. Honestly, I looked for that statistic today because I didn’t know it, I thought it was in the next round,” Alcaraz admitted in statements collected by the ATP website.
To achieve it, the number two in the world, who debuted his professional triumphs in Rio de Janeiro three years ago, had to work, especially in the first set, against a Griekspoor who tried to counteract his tennis, but could not really disturb Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil, very solid with the serve.
Alcaraz did not lose his serve throughout the game, giving up only two ‘break’ balls, already in the second set, although the Dutchman was also strong in this facet in the first, which lasted an hour and where he only offered loopholes to the start.
Supported by his ‘drive’ and his repertoire of drop shots, the Spanish tennis player did not lose patience and further raised his level in the ‘sudden death’ that had to decide the initial set. There he dominated, took advantage and was able to close it solvently to begin to break down his opponent’s resistance.
The champion of the United States Open settled more on the track and finally achieved the long-awaited ‘break’ at the beginning of the second set and, saving his first and only service problems, managed to place himself with a ‘comfortable’ 3-0 on the scoreboard. Alcaraz strengthened his serve even more and that was enough to seal his pass to a round of 16 where he will face British left-hander Jack Draper, who eliminated his compatriot Andy Murray.
“I’m ready, I love playing those kind of matches. Jack is playing very well. I played against him only once in Basel, not long ago and it was very difficult. I know I have to put my best level, I have to show my hundred percent to beat a great opponent like him. I think it’s going to be a really nice game to watch for the fans and I’m going to try to enjoy it”, confessed the Murcian, who needs to win the Masters 1,000 to recover the number one held by Serbian Novak Djokovic.