MADRID, 18 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz acknowledged this Thursday that he did not feel that he had “any downturn” during his match in the second round of the Australian Open, the first 'Grand Slam' of the season, against the Italian Lorenzo Sonego, of whom he valued the level that offered on the Rod Laver Arena to take the match to four sets.
“I didn't feel like he had any downturn in the match. In the tie-break of the second set he started to play incredibly and I think he made great saves after good first serves on my part,” Alcaraz said at a press conference.
The Murcian did not hide that he “probably” could have done “something more” in that tiebreaker that ended up being won by Turin, to which he gave all the credit because “the level at which he played was really high.” “I had my opportunities and I didn't take advantage of them, but I had to keep going and start better in the third set like I did. I don't think I had any downturns in the match,” he reiterated.
Now, Alcaraz is going to measure himself by reaching the round of 16 for the first time in Melbourne with the 18-year-old Chinese Juncheng 'Jerry' Shang, whom he does not know “much”, but whom he believes is “playing well” because in Hong Kong reached the semi-finals, eliminating Francis Tiafoe and falling “in three sets” to Andrey Rublev.
“He has the level and I have to be focused and put my best tennis on the court. I have never played against him, nor have I trained, I will watch some of his games obviously to learn something about his game. From what I have seen he seems like an incredible player. and that he is ready to have good results. I will prepare the game as best as possible,” he warned.