The Murcian, who had a match point, says goodbye on his debut in Montreal
MADRID, 10 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz said goodbye to the tournament in Montreal (Canada), the sixth Masters 1,000 of the season, in his debut this Wednesday against the American Tommy Paul despite having a match point in the second set, while the also Spanish Roberto Bautista and Pablo Carreño advanced to the third round.
Alcaraz suffered a major setback in his first participation in the Canadian event. The Murcian, who arrived as number four in the world and second seeded, was surprised by a Paul who signed one of the best performances of his life, while Alcaraz was seen in a negative loop and without remedy in the third set .
The Murcian is beginning to savor the harshness of the elite, after not going as far as he hoped at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and with two lost finals in recent weeks in Hamburg (Germany) and Umag (Croatia). Now, a defeat at the first change when he aspired to his fifth title in 2022 and third Masters 1,000.
The Spaniard gave in (6-7(4), 7-6(7), 6-3) against a Paul who had already brought prestigious victories this year against Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini. Alcaraz emerged victorious in the sudden death of the first set, but in the second, after going 1-4, he suffered a comeback from the American, who saved a match point to force the third.
He didn’t have the fluidity or command of his great performances, but the Spaniard looked for his moment from the first game. Paul saved three break balls and broke Alcaraz on the first one he had. Against the ropes, the Murcian was activated to save four match points but then delivered the shock with his serve. New feelings and another lesson for Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil.
Meanwhile, the morning session in Montreal did smile on the Spaniards Bautista and Carreño, who added their second victory on the Canadian hard court by beating the American Jenson Brooksby (7-5, 6-1) and the Danish Holger Rune (6-0 , 6-3).
The man from Castellón, champion on the Kitzbuhel land less than two weeks ago, is adapting well to the change of surface. Before the Yankee player, Bautista had to grit his teeth in an even first set where he came back from a ‘break’ against. In the second act, the 11-time ATP champion swept his rival to meet Norwegian Casper Ruud in the round of 16.
For his part, Carreño, who in his debut defeated the Italian Berrettini, raised his level to overwhelm a Rune who became great at Roland Garros but since then has only won one match. The Dane was overwhelmed by the Spanish, plugged in Canada before an important challenge against Jannik Sinner.