Carlos Alcaraz could not defend the title at the ATP 250 in Umag. And that the afternoon began in the best possible way for the Murcian, beating Jannik Sinner in the first set (7-6) in the tie-break with a high level of tennis shown by both players. Alcaraz was better in the decisive moment, and took the first set.
In the second, he wasted up to six break balls on Sinner’s first serve, which ended up getting the ballot. From there, the scenario changed. Sinner grew and Alcaraz dwarfed. There was no more story from that point on. Sinner overwhelmed the next two sets with a double 6-1, which left the Murcian with an obvious bad taste in his mouth after losing two consecutive finals (Hamburg and Umag) in just weeks, and he has also not been able to defend his first ATP title, a situation that generated special affection.
Not even a month had passed since they last saw each other’s faces. The ‘match of the future’ met again in the final of the ATP250 in Umagwhere Carlos Alcaraz reigned last year and where he defended the title for the first time.
Sinner-Carlos. Carlos-Sinner. A duel that will be repeated on multiple occasions throughout the next decade. The Murcian, with 19 years, and the Italian, with 20, are already two of the great attractions of the ATP. Stuck in the top-10, they are called to be the great dominators of the circuit.
Before the final in Umag, they had already met three times. Two fell for the team from Murcia, but the last and most important one, at Wimbledon less than a month ago, was won by the Italian tennis player.
Carlos Alcaraz left with un slight favoritism before the final, since it is the surface that the Murcian likes the most and the one on which Sinner is least comfortable. And that the Italian had just done an excellent tournament, without giving up a single set. Even so, with an ankle bandage and with doubts after the long-suffering victory in the semifinals, Alcaraz started as the betting favorite.
It was known in advance that the match was not going to correspond to that of an ATP 250 level. It was a top level match. They both made him see it from the beginning.
Great level in the first set
None yielded with their service. In fact, neither could break their opponent’s serve in the first set. Both dominated with the right, hitting the ball with a force in each blow that made it difficult to see long rallies. And when there were, Alcaraz cut them with one of the characteristics left of him.
The Murcian took the first set, but not without first suffering. It was in the tie-break, as there was no break in the set. It reached 6-6 and there, in decisive moments, is when the Murcian competes best. They got to 5-1 with unlikely points, although Sinner rowed to make up the result. Finally, he couldn’t fight it and gave up the set (7-6) in favor of Alcaraz.
Carlitos celebrated the first set in style. Quite the opposite of Sinner, who was seen upset and with a downcast look. He had to take advantage of that high spirits and the downturn of his rival. Alcaraz smelled the blood and what it was. He started by winning his serve and had six break points on Sinner’s serve. The Murcian did not take advantage of any, so the match followed his rhythm (1-1).
Sinner grows up
When it seemed that Sinner was beginning to decline, he appeared in the next game to break Alcaraz’s serve, which was the first of the match. From saving six break balls in the previous game, to breaking it in the later. Jannik Sinner is a mental rock. And he’s also tremendously good technically.
After that break, the one who started to have a bad time was Carlos Alcaraz. From a possible 2-0 up, they found themselves 1-5 down after Sinner got them on serve for the second time in a row. He lost his head, beginning to strike senseless blows. The second set ended with Sinner (6-1) after he ended up overwhelming the Murcian.
Alcaraz, dominated
Carlos Alcaraz could do nothing in the third round against the tennis displayed by Jannik Sinner. He made many mistakes, more than he could afford against this type of rival, and he ended up paying dearly for it. And that he had break balls to break his serve when they were still 1-1 in the third round. They ended up being saved by Sinner and just like in the second set, the scoreboard was decided in a matter of minutes towards the Italian (5-1). Sinner served to win and did not fail, endorsing the final 6-1.
Carlitos had nine break balls to break Sinner’s service, but he didn’t take advantage of any of them and the solidity and insistence of the Italian when they were worse they ended up despairing him.
With this defeat, Alcaraz adds his second lost final in just a few weeks, that of Hamburg and Umag. A complicated moment that the Murcian lives before facing an important stretch of the season, with two Masters 1,000 and the USOpen. Learning moment for Alcaraz, who will surely exhibit himself again at his best level.
