“Right now, for some reason, the feeling is like that Alcaraz He’s playing slower than ever and doesn’t have the confidence he did the rest of the season. It can happen to anyone, even Djokovic, when he was young he went through similar moments. It is very surprising to see how the shots of Sasha (Zverev) They were faster than they were in the second set. The question is when will he return to his best level.”
Forty-eight hours later the author of this reflection has an answer. Daniel Medvedev removed his doubts: “Against him, the way he has played against him Andrey (Rublev), better than in his debut, you have to give your best. I will have to play fast, hit the winner before him.
The Russian is a narrator of the rapid transition experienced by Carlos Alcaraz, with the 20-year-old making his debut at the ATP Finals that he will miss out on in 2022 due to injury. He arrived with a crisis of confidence, mentally tired, which translated into a start in Turin suffering a third successive defeat at the circuit.
The Murcian criticized the surface of the tournament: “I don’t understand why they put the fastest of the year when the last weeks the hard court was slow,” he said.
A good training session the next day, a conversation with his team that invited him to forget about the result and enjoy himself again, helped his transformation, which he endorsed with the best remedies: he recovered his game and, above all, confirmed the improvement in what is most needed: success.
“The sensations have changed. After the first game I left with a bad feeling. To be honest, I believe that I will not win any game. I don’t know where my level is. Now it has changed and I see that I have option to qualify for the semifinals and have a good tournament,” he said after the defeat. Rublev in two sets.
It also helped that it was the same result he achieved Medvedev in the view of Zverev, allowing Alcaraz to go out on the track today, Friday (2:30 pm), depending on himself. If he beats Medvedev, he will join him in the semis, as first in the group if he wins in two sets or if he wins in three and then, at 8:30 pm, Rublev wins against Zverev, because he has already done three . times. this campaign.
It is important for the Murcian that the latter happens, that Zverev will lose, if he is not able to beat Medvedev. The balance with Daniel is 2-2. He gave in the semi-finals of the US Openbut he swept him before both in the final of Indian Wells as in ‘semi’ Wimbledon.
“Medvedev is one of the best because you have to be patient and aggressive at the same time. You wait for your chance, you run, you score five or six balls to win the option and even then it might not come. In the US Open match, I left mentally for a long time and that will not happen against him. I know how he will play and we will make a strategy,” commented Alcaraz.
He faced the only tennis player to win more matches this season than him (66 to 64), who is ‘master’ in 2020. Charly is clear about this: “I want to hit the ball hard, show the good tennis I gave this year, have fun.” If he smiles, it’s a good sign, because it means that he will have his chances in front of Medvedev’s wall.
Alcaraz, for a victory that guarantees he will become the eighth player to reach the semifinals at the Masters Final. This is Sergi Bruguera in 1994. Then you can consider repeating the finals of Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, His trainer Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya. They lifted the trophy well Manolo Orantes as Alex Corretjain Houston 1976 and Hannover 1998, respectively
Alcaraz, with a sense of personal revenge, for leaving the hole, and against Medvedev, since the defeat in New York hurt the current champion. And because the prize is juicy, for continuing the fight for a ‘big’ title, ranking points (it will prevent the Russian from taking No. 2 from him) and a good financial heel.
If Alcaraz tops the group, he will meet Novak Djokovic on Saturday. If he finishes second, duel with Jannik Sinner.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
