As he trusted the day before after a solvent victory against the British Cameron Norrie, the third time was the charm for Carlos Alcaraz who kicked out of Mutua Madrid Open a Rafael Nadal to advance to the semi-finals of the tournament.
The tennis player from El Palmar is in a hurry. And a long time ago with the self-confidence and daring of youth he broke into the circuit without asking permission. Suddenly, emphatically, jumping from the bush.
He could not with the motivation and drive of Alcaraz or Nadal or the setback he suffered at the beginning of the second set, that conditioned him and left him knocked out during the second round. He came back energetic and uninhibited in the third, the final, to put things back where they were and win the match.
And it is that between eyebrows and eyebrows this nineteen-year-old boy just turned the gain of a space among the chosen ones of the circuit. It is based on Alcaraz record that arrived in Madrid as ninth in the worldhis best position in the ranking, and will start at least seventh in the ATP rankings.
The Murcian was already threatening to knock Nadal down sooner than later in a match. in becoming the the first young man to beat the Balearic Islands on clay and to put an end to the winner’s streak of twenty-five wins in a row of twenty-one Grand Slam against Spanish rivals.
Two more records that the one from El Palmar monopolizes, daring, daring on the track and with self-confidence to develop his best match so far in the tournament.
Alcaraz became the youngest semifinalist in the history of the Mutua Madrid Open after not stopping to think about Nadal’s journey, plunged into a period of fine-tuning. In search of his optimal level after six months away from competition due to a rib crack but with his sights set on Roland Garros, his real goal.
Without discarding the luster and repercussion of Madrid and Rome, Nadal has Paris between eyebrows. He suffered to get the round of 16 match against David Goffin and could not with the push of Alcaraz, more involved in the game, in the season and in full swing.
The second loss of the season for the Spaniard, who had only lost to Taylor Fritz in the Indian Wells final, was caused by the player with the most wins of the season. Twenty-six already adds Alcaraz who met Nadal again after the infernal semifinal of Indian Wells, whipped by an indomitable wind and also a year and a day after the first, on this same stage.
Treatment of you to rivals
Then Alcaraz arrived as a guest. With the shyness and timid attitude of a minor who wants to play with the elders. With treatment of you towards the rivals. Now it’s something else. Installed among the best in the world, with an enviable background for his age and desirable for veterans: four titles, including a Masters 1000.
The fifth victory in a row against a ‘top ten’ cemented it from the beginning. Confident of victory, unstoppable for 71 minutes, his dominance was only in question when suffered the fall in the third game of the second set. He went down with a crash, twisting his right ankle. He had to be treated by the track doctor who covered his foot with a striking bandage. That was when he fell. With the ailment in mind he relaxed. It had nothing to do with the gale at the beginning. And Nadal took advantage of it.
The Balearic who did not let the train pass is hardened in a thousand battles. You need hours of play to find the shape you want. He won the set comfortably against an opponent who had disappeared. With the game in the air and under the protection of Alcaraz’s physical condition, the clash resumed after the Murcian went to the locker room.
It came back firm, like new. She left the green clothing and appeared in white. He resumed the pulse of the match. Fast in the legs again, fresh and recovered, he imposed his game in the decisive set that was scored with authority.
“It is difficult to play against Rafa, especially for me because he is my idol. I have tried to see him in every game and learn from him“, explained at the foot of the track.
“After twisting my ankle and thinking that I couldn’t know anyway, I thought I’d give everything because I wasn’t going to retire and he made me give everything to win the match,” said the youngest semi-finalist in the history of the tournament.
The Murcian won the third in an obvious declaration of intent, a warning to the best. Wait for the number one in the world. Djokovic, with whom he has never played.
