Carlos Alcaraz started his way in the Melbourne Summer Series with a triumph almost impossible to analyze. With 2-2 on the scoreboard, Attila Balasz retired due to injury, so it was a mystery how the Murcian would face what was going to be the most important game of his career to date. Not forgetting that upon landing on Australian soil, he was forced to comply with strict confinement, without leaving his hotel for 14 days as a result of a positive for COVID-19 that he traveled on the same plane. Pulling creativity and ingenuity to get ready in the room, He showed up to the track where David Goffin waited, number 14 in the ATP ranking, which he beat to show that he has reached the elite of tennis to stay, hopefully for many years. By the score, anyone would say it was his first win against a top-15, and with only 17 years: double 6-3 in 63 minutes. Overwhelming.
Alcaraz began the duel like a cyclone, grown before the opportunity to demonstrate the great talent that he treasures. Nothing to wrinkle before a rival who was number 7 in the world and who enjoys the privilege of having won the complete Big Three in his career (Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal), in addition to dominating another Grand Slam winner such as Dominic Thiem: seven wins over the Austrian. And he soon made his mark from the rest by breaking three consecutive services from the Belgian that put him on the set. It is true that he gave up his twice in the first set, but his aggressiveness, executed with precision, tipped the balance in his favor.
Although the Murcian touched a full effectiveness of breaks in the opening set (3 of 4 chances made), Goffin balanced the forces in the second. Juan Carlos Ferrero's pupil, solid and off-center, kept moving Goffin from side to side of the court to wear him down until in the fifth game he took advantage of his option. He opened a gap with that break until he dominated 5-2 and had a serve to close the game. It was necessary to wait. It was clear from the start that this was not a duel of consummate servers. And how could it be otherwise, Alcaraz put down the Belgian's attempted rebellion with a break that gave him the victory. After leaving out the first seed of the Great Ocean Road Open, the Murcian will face Brazilian Thiago Monteiro (No. 83) in the round of 16. A star has been born.
Between Nadal and Ferrero
“I want to do everything except stay in the room,” Alcaraz told AS at the end of his first win in the tournament. And what if he showed it to Goffin, signing that turning point that every great tennis promise has achieved in his sports career. And it is because of talent, conviction and numbers, the Murcian is called to take the witness of the two last numbers 1 of Spanish tennis: Juan Carlos Ferrero and Rafa Nadal.
Interestingly, with his triumph over Goffin, Alcaraz's precociousness is between his current coach and the Manacor. Ferrero, back in 1999, signed his first victory against a top-15 ranking at age 19 in front of Álex Corretja (No. 11) in the ATP of Mallorca, while Nadal did the same at 16 against Albert Costa (No. 7) at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2003. Carlos has already taken the first step …