MADRID, 15 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz stayed alive in the ATP Finals, a tournament that brings together the eight best of the 2023 season and that takes place in Turin (Italy) until Sunday, after adding his first victory this Tuesday by beating with solvency against the Russian Andrey Rublev in two sets 7-5, 6-2.
The world number two debuted his record of victories in the Red Group and avoided an early elimination, although he still must defeat the Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final to ensure his presence in the semifinals for the ‘master’ title.
The Murcian player left behind the defeat in the debut against the German Alexander Zverev and carried out his second duel against Rublev, whom he was officially facing for the first time, with firmer and safer tennis, especially with his serve, with which He did not concede any breaking balls and with which he only lost seven points, two when he served with first.
The Muscovite offered resistance in the first set, but in the final stretch he began to weaken with the serve and the player from El Palmar was able to pressure him much more and put him in a more nervous state that ended up paying off in a much more peaceful second set for the Spanish player. , which did not relax and closed on the fast track.
The Pala Alpitour spectators witnessed a start to the match where the serves were devastating, with little resistance to the rest and few rallies. The two tennis players tried to avoid their opponent’s powerful drive and the score was flying fast and even until the decisive moments.
Neither Alcaraz nor Rublev had even been able to taste a small advantage over the rest, but the Murcian was the first to threaten, in what would be a change of course in the clash. At 4-4, Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil had a break ball and although he could not take advantage of it, that seemed to strengthen him to put pressure again at 5-5. The first one he couldn’t get through either, but he won a second one that he did and put him on serve to close the set.
And that’s where the game ended up changing. Rublev lost focus after a decision on a point that seemed to have been won and was overcome by nerves, which prevented him from regaining his level. Alcaraz did not waste it to certify the heat and break quickly to take advantage in the second. The Wimbledon champion continued to be impassable on serve, while his rival’s was losing strength, which paved the way for his victory in an hour and a quarter, sealed with the last 12 points won.