The Murcian starts the Masters 1,000 in the French capital with a win over Nishioka and is closer to closing the year as the best
With the trophy that accredits him as number one already on the shelf, after being received on the slopes of Paris-Bercy, Carlos Alcaraz started the last part of the season with victory against Yoshihito Nishioka (6-4 and 6-4) and classification to the round of 16 of the final Masters 1,000 of the season.
De Murcian, who is playing to finish the year as the best tennis player in the world, has already matched the result of 2021, when finishing at the top of the league table was nothing more than a dream. But much has changed for Alcaraz, who saw Daniil Medvedev, one of the potential rivals for the number one, collapse on center court against Alex de Miñaur. The Australian narrowed the Russian’s options 6-4, 2-6 and 7-5 and took his first win against a top 5 at the age of 23.
The fall of Medvedev, winner in Paris in 2019 and finalist last season, did not get on the nerves of Alcaraz, who appeared on the track with his knee protected, because of the terror he suffered from Basel and which forced him to take precautions in these last tournaments.
Without the knee in mind, Alcaraz put the swift Nishioka in his place, with the clear idea of firing fast and avoiding exchanges taking longer than reasonable and necessary. The Japanese endured six games until the Spaniard’s first breakballs arrived, thanks to a shot between Alcaraz’s legs, which made up for a blow on the fly and led to Nishioka’s failure as he lifted the ‘ohhh’s’ from the stands .
With 4-2 in favor, the Spaniard enjoyed the ball for 5-2, but let Nishioka close the gap to 4-3 and a terrible play by Alcaraz on service made it 4-4. His advantage was gone, but it was only a matter of time before the obvious superiority of the Murcian jumped to the fore.
The next two games, both in Alcaraz’s pocket, confirmed that this little hole had already dried up. Refusing to go fast, Nishioka withstood the challenge from Alcaraz, to 4-4, in which a reversed right hand from the Spaniard crucified the match. Victory in one hour and 15 minutes, 29 winners and standings to the round of 16.
Alcaraz now passes the ball to Rafael Nadal in the battle to end the year in first place. The triumph of the Murcian opens the distance to 910 points with only two tournaments ahead, Paris-Bercy and the Turin final.
In the round of 16, Alcaraz will face the winner of the duel between Grigor Dimitrov and Fabio Fognini. In addition to the El Palmar tennis player’s victory, Pablo Carreño will also play this Wednesday against Canadian Denis Shapovalov and Rafael Nadal, who returns two months later to face American Tommy Paul. Felix Auger-Aliassime, who came back one set against Mikael Ymer, Stefanos Tsitsipas, who defeated Dan Evans in straight sets, and Frances Tiafoe, who managed in straight sets with Jack Draper, also made it to the round of 16.
Source: La Verdad
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