Carlos Alcaraz Smile again. Her best feelings on the court have returned. That’s the real prize of it. And that is what the young tennis player from Murcia stood out above anything else after revalidating the Indian Wells title by winning the final against Daniil Medvedev by 7-6 (5) and 6-1.
After 245 days Since winning the title at Wimbledon, the Murcian tennis player has once again lifted the cup in the Palm Springs desert. He has rediscovered himself and has chased away the doubts that have haunted him in the last seven months and, especially, at the start of the 2024 season.
“I had a bad few months, I wasn’t myself. The fact that he hadn’t won a title since Wimbledon didn’t really matter to me. It was more about pleasure, sensations. I wanted to rediscover this pleasure when I enter a track,” he admitted after putting an end to a bad streak unknown to himself.
Lots of doubts
Alcaraz He had arrived at Indian Wells with many doubts in his head and concern about how his physique would respond after the sprained right ankle that forced him to leave the Rio de Janeiro tournament a few weeks ago. “I didn’t even know if I could play. The first day I only trained for half an hour,” he recalled before playing his first game.
World number 1 at the age of 19, after conquering the United States Open in 2022, designated as the heir to the Big Three, his flame seemed to be going out since his victory in the Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic.
Was I stuck? Absurd to even think about it in front of a 20-year-old player, with two Grand Slams in his achievements and 13 titles in his record, in addition to being the youngest number 1 in history. But perhaps because of those successes some critical voices began to resonate in his head.
“Alcaraz’s serve leaves a lot to be desired. I think it hasn’t improved in the last two years. “He fails to put the receiver in trouble,” said the former champion. Andy Roddick. “He does many things better than anyone. But his game has to be built on a foundation that is sustainable, not forced to play spectacularly all the time,” said the former number 1. Andre Agassi, when Alcaraz played the exhibition in Las Vegas against Rafael Nadal. or the same Jimmy Connors who wondered what his future would be because of “the physical wear and tear he has on the track.”
Ferrero Notice
But the harshest criticism had come from the mouth of his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero at the end of last season. “If you want to be the best you have to act like the best and be professional all year round. It is what it is and we have to accept it,” he reproached his player after being eliminated in the ATP Finals in Turin.
For this reason, after winning the title in Indian Wells, his first words on the court were of gratitude to his entire team and family with whom he hugged profusely after the final. “The most important lesson for me today is that you can overcome any problem. “If you believe in yourself, have a good team around you and work hard, anything can work out.”
Domination over Sinner and Medvedev
Alcaraz He feels that he has been reborn in Indian Wells and has done so with victories against two rivals who will cross paths many times for the titles this year. In view of Jannick Sinner y Medvedev He has known how to find the formula to prevail. Against the Italian tennis player he demonstrated it after conceding a tough corrective 6-1 to end up ending a streak of 19 games without losing that he had after winning the Davis Cup, the Australian Open and the Rotterdam tournament.
He knew how to break the machine, tactically surprise the Italian, dominate him with the strength of his blows, lengthen the rallies and destabilize him with his brilliant drop shots and plays. A strategy that also served him in the final against Medvedev who couldn’t stand the pace he imposed on the track.
Alcaraz forces you to hit perfect shots. “If you can’t stand his level, he’ll break your head.”
“Alcaraz almost forces you to hit perfect shots all the time. His high level is much higher than 100% of the others. If you can’t stand his level, he will break your head,” he admitted. Gilles CervaraMedvedev’s coach.
Alcaraz He adds his fifth Masters 1,000 in Indian Wells and comes out stronger to face the season successfully. Neither Sinnerthe fittest tennis player of the moment, nor Medvedevnot even a handful of bees that attacked him in the quarterfinal match against Alexander Zverev They could with him.
Miami and number 1
Starting this Wednesday, the Miami Masters 1,000 will be the next stop on the circuit before landing on the dirt tour where Alcaraz has his goal focused on Roland Garros and the Paris Olympic Games.
Without forgetting the fight to recover the world number 1 that he still leads Djokovic with 9,675 points and an advantage of 920 over Alcaraz (8,455) ahead of Sinner (8.310) y Medvedev (7,675). Until Roland Garros, the Serbian tennis player will defend 2,270 for 2,265, the Murcian; 1,280, the Russian and only 585, the Italian. The battle is on and excitement is guaranteed on the track.
2024-03-18 14:54:36
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