Carlos Alcaraz continues to lead the Shanghai Masters 1000. The Murcian advanced to the round of 16 this Monday after defeating British Dan Evans 7-6(1), 6-4 in a duel of almost two and a half hours in which he suffered greatly before showing his superiority against a rival whom he had defeated in his three previous fights.
The match did not start well for the Wimbledon champion who, after squandering two break points in the opening game, He saw how the Briton was gaining confidence to lead 2-1.
Then came one of Murcian’s typical disconnects, delivering his serve blank in a game full of errors in which Evans didn’t have to do much.
Even more labored was the next game, where the British made it 4-1 after 19 frenetic minutes. where a desperate Alcaraz squandered another six break points.
Far from collapsing, the Spaniard put another gear on to close his ministry with authority and continue to pressure Evans, this time successfully.
Focusing more and releasing his strong forehand more often, Alcaraz achieved, on his tenth attempt, the long-awaited break that allowed him to fully enter the set.
This was the start of the Murcian comeback, who in the next game showed power to make it 4-4.. Evans managed to save his serve ‘in extremis’ after picking up two new break balls, but the initiative was clearly Alcaraz, who easily won his serve again in the next game.
The first round will be decided in a tiebreaker with Alcaraz leading from the start. Two gifts from Evans helped him reach the change of sides with 5-1 making it decisive. In the end, a 7-1 that closed out a strange set that could have been closed earlier if it had been a little more successful with break opportunities (1/13).
The second round started like the firstwith Alcaraz showing more authority on the track, but with the first break from Evans.
The Briton broke for the first time he had, making it clear he wasn’t going to give up, but this time Alcaraz reacted immediately to equalize in the next game.
In the third game the tables were turned. This time it was Carlitos who made his life difficult but ended up taking the game forward after saving four break points against a brave Evans but with less gas in the tank.
A lack of energy took its toll on the British in the tenth game, where he served out and the match to a relieved Alcaraz, who added 45 new points (90 in total) in the match to reclaim the ATP number 1, his best goal of the season.
Alcaraz will play for a place in the quarterfinals on Wednesday against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrovnumber 19 in world tennis, which took almost two hours – with a delay of almost an hour due to rain at the end of the first set, in addition – to get rid of the Russian Karen Khachanov in two sets (7-6, 6- 4).
It is a rival, in principle, affordable for the Spaniard, who comfortably won the three previous matches, last year in Paris-Bercy (6-1, 6-3) and this year in Madrid (6- 2, 7-5). ) and Queen’s (6-4, 6-4).
Source: La Verdad
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