Four days after losing to Italian Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the ATP 500 tournament in Beijing, Carlos Alcaraz Another countdown began to the second event of the tour through China, where he also made his debut as this Asian tour was postponed since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
He opened his history at the Shanghai Masters 1000 ATP, confirming his status as the player with the most games won this season. He added the 62nd, comfortably dominating the first duel of his record with the Frenchman Grégoire Barrère29 years old and world number 73.
The Murcian, 20 years old and number 2, won the 6-2 and 7-5 in one hour and 42 minutes of the meeting, which he handles as he pleases. Faced with powerful shots and fast legs of the opponent, more blows and better moves.
The occasional mistake, but more due to enough than lack of concentration and also due to the characteristics of a brilliant opponent, sometimes with electricity and accumulated more winning blows (27 to 19) and error (32 to 20). He dared to play face to face with the El Palmar tennis player.
Alcaraz overcame the six break points he fought in an initial set that worked harder than a 6-2 score. Three to consolidate the initial advantage, 2-0, and three more to establish a 5-1 silence.
However, he delivered his service when everything was ready for the sentence. After the ‘break’ for 4-3, he did not consolidate this advantage (4-4), having to work for a few minutes against a brave Barrère, more ready to enjoy against one of the greats than to suffer it .
No problem, more filming for Alcaraz, adapting to the new elements that Shanghai proposed about Beijing. Even on a hard court, every tournament is a particular world. This time also with the peculiarity that the roof of the main stadium is closed due to rain.
A blessing for Alcaraz in particular and the organization in general, because the Spaniard abandoned the always uncomfortable first match and those responsible for the tournament were able to solve at least 8 of the 18 scheduled singles.
Which wasn’t much, but the eventful day was cut short by the constant rain. Alcaraz went to the hotel without knowing the identity of his opponent in the round of 32, a round he will face on Sunday against the British. Daniel Evans or Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkinwho didn’t even set foot on the field because of the weather.
The usual two-speed competition. The numbers moving forward, that’s what happened Carlos Alcarazwhich adds 45 more points to its hunting and catching ranking than those without Novak Djokovicbut also Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner, who also played in the center protected by cover. The rest will return this Sunday to try to solve what they failed to do on Saturday.
Source: La Verdad
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