Carlos Alcaraz concludes the performance, celebrates it and discovers a different horizon: winning or not winning on the first day, two different worlds. Increase or decrease. He resisted him. In 2023 it was Alexander Zverev’s turn and a year ago came the stumble with Casper Ruud, but this time it is very different. There is no misstep involved. This time, a decisive and powerful debut, more than enough to defeat the resigned Alex de Miñaur (7-6(5) and 6-2, after 1 hour and 40 minutes) and thus add the first point to the scoreboard of this Masters Cup. Arms and thumbs up, the number two in the world starts in style and makes discounts: he only needs two victories to secure the throne at the end of the course.
“I’m very happy with how I played, I was very focused the whole time. Alex is always a difficult opponent. In the second set the nerves started to subside and I was able to have more fun, playing with my style,” he said on court, where he recalled: “Everyone knows that I’m not only competing for the champion’s trophy, but also for the number one one.” And so it is. The spoils that this last tournament of the year has reserved for him are more than succulent, and now he starts successfully and without haste. Nothing to do with starting one way or the other. Now trust in the backpack and good vibes, waiting to see how the other group duel will be resolved tomorrow, the one between the Italian Lorenzo Musetti and the American Taylor Fritz.
The techno music blares and the seats vibrate, the Australian’s ball rasa demands and Alcaraz, landing logically, encourages himself: “Come on, Charlie, come on!” De Minaur presses in the exchange, but the Murcian holds serve and while that arm surrounded by marked veins warms up and calibrates, the story changes profoundly. The moment he takes command he has fun, while the oceanic player suffers, with legs to give and give, but subject to the high pace that is imposed on him in the exchanges. Fast, precise and attractive tennis; debate in every exchange, but most of the time there is one tennis player who prevails. Alcaraz spits sparks. That setback gives inspiration.
Palm trees at the Inalpi Arena, delightful autumn Sunday in Turin. There were many cries from the children and, in this, the effort not to break the thread of the first series, the one that stopped being so some time ago and which now, with 26 such new years, risks being or not being. De Minaur is maturing, today at the crossroads: courage or nothing. Intelligent, dynamic and fast like few others, one step forward is enough to unlock a career which, although promising, is not yet completely defined. Today, without forgetting or belittling all the merits, which are not few, it is nothing more than an illusion. Real leaping requires more. Access to the dimension he wants requires an extra that, for now, he resists.
This season he has remained on track, just as he hasn’t finished exploding; He still lacks a major prize on his record – 500 category as the limit – and on the big stages he has failed to overcome the quarter-final barrier. Now, regardless of the script and the circumstances, De Minaur tends to be an opponent who forces you to row. Alcaraz accelerates (break for 3-1) and he responds (for 4-3), but in the tie-break his arm and his faith shrink. On the other hand, the Spaniard is growing and despite his wrist not being completely right, several shots on net, he ends up winning when the duel (3-5 down) requires the size he shows.
Then they exchange slaps, but as one flows, the other becomes diluted. Things are going badly for De Miñaur, increasingly erratic, less rebellious, and his tennis loses momentum, while Alcaraz’s parallel backhand begins to open a gap – three consecutive breaks in the second round – and happily leads him to his first victory. A treasure. People are having fun, DJ called to the party and among those dancing melodies the hierarchical version of the boy from El Palmar is revealed: 32 winners, 28 errors and correction with the serve. An optimistic take-off, therefore, and a turn of the wheel, given the context. He begins to win, a new and welcome prospect for him.
FIRST BRILLIANT OF THE GRANOLLERS
CA | Turin
The Spanish representation in Turin is not limited to Alcaraz. National tennis, in fact, has another privileged asset in the figure of Marcel Granollers, accompanied once again by the Argentine Horacio Zeballos. Today they are the third best couple in the world and will try to win their first masters trophy in their sixth consecutive participation.
From the start, the Catalan (39) and his partner (40) achieved a worthy victory this Sunday against the reigning champions, the Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz. In the end they won in the tie-break, which they managed well despite the threat of a reaction: 6-4, 4-6 and 10-6, after 1h 33′. In the next few days they will face the English Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool and the Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.
Granollers and Zeballos are completing their best season and have established themselves as one of the most experienced pairs. They won five titles, including those at Roland Garros and the US Open. It is also worth remembering that the Barcelonan has already won the Masters Cup in 2012, in the company of Marc López.
Carlos Alcaraz
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Alex de Minaur
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