Carlos Alcaraz stumbled in his debut in the ATP Finals in Turin, the tournament that brings together the best eight players of the season. The German Alexander Zverevtwo-time champion of the competition, was the one who spoiled the Spaniard’s start by defeating him 6-7 (3-7), 6-3 and 6-4 in the match that opened the action of the Red Group in the stadium Pala Alpitour.
The Murcian, second favorite, was able to win a very tough and even first set, in which he started a break down (1-3) and ended up closing with a certain margin in a tie break that showed his best version. But his rival, seventh seed, raised the demand from the next chapter and managed to turn it around.
“It was a very difficult, even match. I lacked consistency. Between the end of the second and third I threw several points away from the first. I look at Djokovic and he never gives you the first. That’s what I have to improve,” analyzed Carlitoswhich is on a negative streak.
The fact is that his fall against Zverev was the third in a row, after the ones he suffered in the round of 16. Shanghai ante Grigor Dimitrov and at the start of Paris compared to Roman Safiullin. A very weak end to the year for someone who had started 2023 with everything: he won six tournaments before the end of July (including Wimbledon and the Masters 1000 de Indian Wells y Madrid) and the leadership of the ranking alternated with Novak Djokovic.
When looking for an explanation for the decline in recent months, Alcaraz pointed to mental fatigue.
“The year was very long, very demanding. I have to improve to reach this point in better conditions, especially on a mental level. It is a lot of mental fatigue from being at a high level of demand for a long time. I am clear about what is happening to me and, From there, it’s time to work to improve it. I’m learning to do it better each time, although I still have a lot left to do,” he analyzed.
The Spaniard has already lost the chance to fulfill one of the objectives he had for Turin. The thing is that he jumped onto the court this Monday knowing that his chances of recovering number 1 had vanished on Sunday, when Djokovic beat Holger Rune and achieved the victory he needed to secure the top of the ranking until, at least, the beginning of 2024.
“He deserves it, of course. He won three of the four Grand Slams and reached the final of the other. He won two or three Masters 1000s. He only lost five matches in the whole year, it’s incredible. And I heard that, despite everything, “It wasn’t his best year. Tremendous. I had my chances of being No. 1, but I couldn’t make them happen. All I can say is that he deserves it and that I will fight for it next year,” he acknowledged.
Alcaraz – who last year did not play in Turin (it was going to be his senior debut) due to an elbow injury – will now aim with everything for the title. To have a chance to fight for the trophy, he knows that he will have to defeat Daniil Medvedev y Andrey Rublevthe other members of the group, which will not be an easy job.
“They are both very good and have a very high level. Medvedev has his style, he doesn’t miss a single ball and he is a wall from the baseline. Rublev is all power. His forehand is one of the best on the circuit. It’s incredible. I must be very focused if I want to have any option against them,” he anticipated.
Zverev’s great moment
Zverev was the fair winner in the duel against Alcaraz. After that even first set, he was unstoppable with his serve – in the second set he won 19 of the 21 points he played with the first and finished the match with 16 aces and only two double faults – and it was pure precision with his game from the back of the court.
Sasha He scared everyone with a spectacular fall in the last set, just after breaking to go 3-2 up. His expression of pain while he held his left ankle reminded us of that very difficult injury he had suffered in the semifinals of Roland Garros 2022 ante Rafael Nadal, when he tore seven ligaments in his right ankle. But this time nothing happened: the German got up and managed to confirm the break and close the meeting.
“I didn’t twist my ankle, I slipped,” he commented shortly after. “I felt pain for a while, but I don’t think it hurt anything. I hope not, but we’ll see when the body cools down. Anyway, it’s nothing comparable to what happened in Paris.”
And he added: “My serve helped me a lot in the match. Having saved a break point against in the first game of the second set, too. Because nobody wants to be a set and 0-2 down against the number two in the world. So I’m happy”.
The German is disputing the Masters Tournament for the sixth time. He won it in 2018 and again in 2021. And last year he saw it on television, in full recovery from the injury to his ankle that forced him to undergo surgery and that kept him away from the courts for seven months.
Back at a high level, this year he won two titles (Hamburg y Chengdu) and regained its place in the top 10 of the ranking. And he gave a big blow in the start of it in Turin.
The action of the Red Group will continue with the clash between the Russians Daniil Medvedevthird favorite, and Andrey Rublevfifth, from 17 in Argentina.
2023-11-13 19:44:35
#debut #defeat #Carlos #Alcaraz #Turin
