Carlos Alcaraz continues to consolidate his name among the best world tennis. Carlitos has managed to make the exceptional routine, make simple impossible blows. Live the sweetest moment of his career, with one year without Peros. A dynamic that has kept in Tokio. This Monday, in the semifinal duel against Casper Ruud, he was able to get out of the canvas and turn a game that began losing. With this victory, it reached its ninth consecutive final, a goal that in recent decades had only achieved figures such as Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer. He also added his triumph number 66 of the season, establishing a new personal brand, and once again demonstrated his record on the different surfaces and scenarios of the circuit.
Alcaraz’s season is worthy of frame and is not over yet. After saying prematurely from Masters 1.000 de Miami In front of David Goffin in March, the Murcian player has not only recovered his best level, but has managed to reach the final in all ATP tournaments in which he has participated. Has raised trophies in maximum demand scenarios such as Montecarlo, Rome, Roland Garros, Queen’s, Cincinnati and the US Openand has been a finalist in Barcelona and Wimbledon. This performance places it among the few who have starred at least ten finals in a single season.
The semifinal party against Casper RuudNorwegian of 26 years positioned as number 12 of the ranking, began with more difficulties than those planned for an Alcaraz that, until that moment, dominated the history between them 5-1. Alcaraz showed insecurity and little determination in the first minutes, evidencing Non -forced errors and a certain precipitation in the search for short points. The lack of precision in the network incursions and a greater number of failures caused Ruud to take advantage of the front and win the first set. The Norwegian tennis player, very focused from the beginning, neutralized five break opportunities against and took the first time in his favor to snatch Alcaraz In the Japanese tournament.
But Carlitos means pulling heroic and turning the result demonstrating his mental strength. In the second set, Ruud threatened the Spanish serve again, but Alcaraz saved that critical moment. From that moment on, the world number one adjusted his game: significantly reduced the errorS, he was more patient and imposed new variants to avoid pressure from the Norwegian court. The Murcia threw essence to become strong, yielding only one point in its next four games to the serve and balancing the score. The domain remained in the third set, where he knew how to capitalize on the moments of tension and seal his access to a new international final.
At the end of the match, Alcaraz reflected on the necessary changes to reverse an adverse scenario. “I have had opportunities in the first set, several break balls, in some I played well and failed by little. Tennis goes from that, can change quickly, I have tried to be more positive than in the first set, in which I was a little angry with myself. I turned away from those negative thoughts to play with joy, with positive thoughts, and so I could turn it around, ”he explained in statements after victory.
The progress to Tokyo’s final leaves Alcaraz with a total of 31 finals in his career. He is the first Spanish who arrives at that instance in Tokyo from Rafael Nadal in 2011. To add another ATP 500 title to his record this year, after those of Rotterdam and Queen’s, he must overcome Taylor Fritzcurrent number five in the world and champion in Tokyo 2022. The 27-year-old American comes from a recent victory against Alcaraz in Laver Cup, where he won with a score of 6-3 and 6-2.
The series between the two favors Murcia 3-1, although it recognizes the difficulty of the next challenge: “I know that Taylor has been playing great tennis latelywe already saw it in the laver cup against me and against Zverev. He feels great on the track, I will try to change some things. Although it is different from San Francisco, the track, its speed, the atmosphere, everything. It will be another challenge for me, I want it, I will try to take good things and change others, it will be an exciting game and I want to play it. ”Now, the Spanish could take revenge in the Tokyo final and add one more title to his record.
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