Bautista forced Alcaraz to play the ‘super tie-break’, but the one from El Palmar successfully continues his preparation for the Australian Open
MURCIA, 28 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Murcian tennis player Carlos Alcaraz has managed to defeat a brave Roberto Bautista with difficulty in the exhibition match corresponding to the first edition of the Cup that bears his name, ‘Carlos Alcaraz Cup’, organized by the Autonomous Community and the Tennis Federation of the region.
The current number 2 in the world has won the first edition of this title after beating Bautista before a dedicated audience of 7,500 people who packed the Palacio de los Deportes in Murcia and hailed his countryman throughout this match, which was sponsored by El Pozo Alimentación.
The one from El Palmar won, not without difficulty, in the first set 7-6 and Bautista defeated the Murcian in the second set 1-6. The dispute was resolved in a ‘super tie-break’ that was going to be decided by the best of ten points and which Alcaraz managed to win (10 to 7).
Alcaraz has won this first title thanks to the speed of his forehand and his legs on a fast court where he beat Bautista in a match that began at 9:11 p.m. and concluded at 10:58 p.m. The one from El Palmar has thus successfully completed a new step in his preparation for the Australian Open.
The Murcian tennis player, current number 2 in the ATP ranking, arrived this Thursday morning in Murcia from Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), where this Wednesday he won an exhibition match 4-6, 6-4 and 6-4 to the Serbian Novak Djokovic, number 1 in that world ranking.
The two-hour match played against the Serbian and the 6,500 kilometers of travel seemed to take their toll on the Murcian, who had to go to the ‘super tie-break’ to beat Bautista, a tennis player who reached the top 10 in the ATP ranking in 2019. .
The one from El Palmar, who already has 12 ATP titles throughout his career, played the match in front of an audience that included the President of the Murcian Government, Fernando López Miras; the mayor of Murcia, José Ballesta; the vice president of the Community, José Ángel Antelo; and the general director of Sports, Fran Sánchez, among other personalities.
In addition, the audience was made up of illustrious personalities from the world of regional sports such as the cyclists Alejandro Valverde and Luis León Sánchez; the former Murcian tennis player Nicolás Almagro; the motorcycle pilots Fermín Aldeguer and Ana Carrasco; and the marcher Manuel Bermúdez.
At the end of the match, Bautista acknowledged that it is very special for tennis players to be able to play at home. “I see all the love that has been put into this exhibition and, for me, it has been a pleasure to be here with Carlos today,” according to the athlete, who remarked that it has been a “very nice” experience that “I hope can come back.”
For his part, Alcaraz thanked Bautista for participating in this meeting and also showed his gratitude to the organizers of the event, which “has been wonderful.” He stressed that the tournament matches have been “very nice” and that the people of Murcia “deserve the most.”
He celebrated having enjoyed “his people” in Murcia and admitted that it was “super nice.” In fact, he has said that he has put in “all the effort in the world” to be in Murcia in the best conditions. “I hope to make you enjoy it and that it will be many more years,” he concluded.
The president of the Murcian Government, Fernando López Miras, was in charge of presenting the trophies. Before the match, he noted that it was “an afternoon of joy, excitement and family” and, in his opinion, the tournament is going to consolidate itself as a “must-see” event on the sports scene.
“It is also an afternoon to feel proud of the Region of Murcia and what we have,” according to López Miras, who hopes that Alcaraz can return to Murcia every Christmas to play in this tournament. The Murcian president spoke before the match with the Murcian tennis player, who told him that he had not played a match in his homeland for eight years.
“Alcaraz has made an extraordinary effort on dates that are also a time to rest,” praised López Miras, who called the event “historic.”
TRANSFER THE LOVE OF THE EARTH
The objective of the meeting was “to convey to the El Palmar player the love and gratitude of his land in a Christmas day of celebration and family coexistence that will feature music, dance, shows and, above all, tennis,” according to sources. of the regional government in a statement.
This is the first time that Alcaraz, number 2 in the world ranking and winner of six titles in 2023, plays a match in the Region of Murcia since reaching the top of this sport. Despite his busy sports calendar, the 2023 Wimbledon champion wanted to make time to star in this exhibition, which will be especially aimed at the little ones.
The day began at 5:30 p.m. with the opening of doors and closed with the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Roberto Bautista. The president of the Community, Fernando López Miras, participated in the Carlos Alcaraz Cup awards ceremony.
The event was punctuated by the performance of the Murcia Dance dance and entertainment academy, which served as a preamble to the first match, the wheelchair tennis match, which faced Pachequero Kike Siscar, national number 2 and the highest regional reference in this sport. , with the Madrid native Jorge Iglesias.
At the end of the match, music once again took center stage on the court through Belter Souls, a music and performing arts company that offered a soul and gospel performance before the second match of the Cup.
Next, the mixed doubles took place between several of the young regional rackets and names to follow in the future of regional tennis: Ariana Geerlings, 18 years old and based in Murcia; Alba Rey, 21 years old and native of Águilas; Pablo Martínez, 17 years old and native of Murcia; and Rafa Segado, 17 years old and native of Cartagena. All four have international titles in tennis training categories and have played a mixed doubles match.
As a prelude to the big match, Serial Killerz, a duo known for their mix of electronic music and percussion, set the scene and prepared the audience before Alcaraz and Bautista took to the court.
Castellón tennis player Roberto Bautista Agut, winner of eleven ATP titles in his career and former world top 10, is Alcaraz’s teammate on the Davis Cup team and one of the best national rackets.
The event, whose 7,000 tickets on sale were sold out in a matter of minutes, could also be followed live on La7tv, the public regional television of the Region of Murcia. All proceeds will go to charity.
2023-12-28 22:36:12
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