The return to the land of Carlos Alcaraz he is being less kind than expected. The Spaniard, a sensation in the first part of the season, got stuck in the first round in Hamburg against Kuhn – he needed three sets and a tiebreaker in the third to eliminate the German – and also had a bad time in the round of 16 against Krajinovic (7-6 (4) and 6-3). He had to come back in the first round to order a place in the quarterfinals, where this Friday he will face Khachanov for a place in the semifinals (4:30 p.m., Movistar +).
Playing indoors and with humidity – it was raining yesterday in Hamburg – is not the best news for a specialist on clay like Alcaraz. Perhaps that is why it was difficult for him to warm up and he suffered in a first set full of ups and downs for him.
He began dominating with his forehand, very sure of his serve and threatening his rival’s. He enjoyed advantages to have broken the Serb’s serve, but the one who got it was Krajinovic (2-3), who came to serve in the tenth game to win the set. His arm shrank and Alcaraz took advantage of it, taking the sleeve to the tiebreaker. There, already full of confidence, he unbalanced the clash with right hands.
The blow was huge for the Serbian, who lost four consecutive games at the start of the second set (4-1). Alcaraz was then entrusted, that he could have closed the game before and who had to fight to get the ticket to the quarterfinals. An unexpected break from the Serbian, confirmed later with his service, narrowed the score again (4-3).
The Spanish continued to have an advantage, but there was no room left for error. Alcaraz concentrated so as not to be in trouble and he didn’t. He has plenty of tennis to walk around the courts of this ATP 500 where he aspires to achieve the sixth title of his career and the fifth of a historic season for him.
