Wins in the second round 6-1, 6-7 (7), 5-7, 7-6 (2) and 6-4, in four hours and 34 minutes, coming from a 3-0 loss in the fifth set
On the edge of the abyss, unrecognizable at times, subdued by the good work of his rival, Carlos Alcaraz saved a match point and a 3-0 deficit in the fifth set and beat Albert Ramos-Violas 6-1, 6-7 (7), 5-7, 7-6 (2) and 6-4, in four hours and 34 minutes, qualifying for the third round of Roland Garros. In one of those matches that also mark the trajectory of the great tennis players, in the absence of his best game, the sixth seed used ardor, resilience and courage to finish off the intelligent opposition of the Barcelona player, who crashed a forehand into the net on the fourth set with 5-4 and 40-30 at service and two partials to one advantage.
It was a different version of the Murcian, defined at the point with which he achieved the definitive break in the ninth game of the fifth set, after chasing several impossible balls and forcing the error of his opponent, he threw his racket to the clay as evidence of desperation. We did not see the creative and audacious tennis player from other occasions, but he is a warrior capable of getting out of extreme situations.
Rarely has he been seen this season as overwhelmed as he was in many moments this Wednesday. In neither of his two confrontations with Nadal, nor against Novak Djokovicnor in the two of the current course before Tsitsipas. He has only three defeats, those suffered against Berrettini in Australia, against Nadal in Indian Wells and against Korda in Monte Carlo and had to save two match points contra Alex de Miaur in the semi-finals in Barcelona, but since his appearance he had not conveyed that feeling of bewilderment that he experienced against Ramos-Violas.
74 unforced errors
On a windy afternoon in Paris, the Simone Mathieu court, the third in the hierarchy of the venue, enjoyed a superb intergenerational confrontation, the duel between a 19-year-old newcomer who has exploded with the force of thunder and a 34-year-old veteran fighter. who gave an example of strategic clairvoyance and combativeness. Alcaraz overcame 74 unforced errors and a balance of eight of 31 on balls break.
In a tournament with winks to the unexpected, where Stefanos Tsitsipas y Alexander Zverev They lifted two adverse sets against Lorenzo Musetti y Sebastin BezAlcaraz also came out alive from a match to the limit, from which he will surely come out even more revitalized. Alcaraz is also a nightmare for his compatriots, whom he defeats regardless of rank. This season he has successively beaten Roberto Bautista (Indian Wells), Jaume Munar (Ro and Barcelona), Pablo Carreo (Barcelona) and Rafael Nadalwhom he beat in Madrid after taking him to the third set in Indian Wells, and now Ramos-Violas.
After being overwhelmed in the first set, the Catalan, an intelligent player who knows how to annoy his rivals, especially on clay, was bringing forward his services, with which he caused damage, and narrowed the score. The Murcian was 5-4 and 0-30 down in the second set, but his hand did not shake. Nor in the same trance two games later, restlessness suffocated with a climb to the net and a drop. He missed him in an irregular playoff, which he gave up on the third down. Alcaraz could not find his north. Disconcerted, he let a rival do what was faithful to his script, opening the track well and working on the points as necessary. Ramos-Violas, who had lost in his two previous duels with him, but always putting up a fight, also won the third and had the match in hand. Alcaraz resurfaced successive times until the final direct kick, in a performance that, although lackluster, adds brilliance to his portrait.
According to the criteria of
