Carlos Alcaraz, 21 years old and world No. 3, dressed as a champion at Wimbledon, which is where he needs it. At the beginning after getting a little confused and seeing an initial set that he won in danger, in the middle he gained strength and confidence for what was to come and, especially, in a final second round that amazed us for its power and elegance.
A display of total tennis to beat a worthy and experienced opponent, although not capable of dealing with the reigning Roland Garros champion, an Alcaraz with plenty of body and punch.
Alcaraz won by 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 and 6-2 in 1h.48′. He used his little revenge on the Australian Aleksander Vukic, 28 years old and number 69, his executioner in the previous stage of his first professional Roland Garros, in 2020. The Murcian is 17 years old, is the 193rd ATP and had a match ball. It was painful, but the boy was on his feet and immediately confirmed his status as the chosen one in the racket.
It was again shown at the All England Club. This time on Runway 1, with a roof like the middle, and used in rainy days in London. Alcaraz’s ninth straight win in this event was huge.
He will find the tenth in two days, on Friday. Against the American Frances Tiafoewho beat the Croatian Coric terminal by 7-6 (5), 6-1 and 6-3. The American has traded down in recent months, at the age of 26 he hates to fall to 29th place in the ranking, as he himself stressed upon his arrival at Wimbledon. He wants to return to the places of honor, like when he played five sets in the semifinal with Alcaraz in US Open 2022in what would be the first Grand Slam in the El Palmar tennis player’s record.
Alcaraz is ready for the challenge. He deserves the admiration and applause of the fans. His qualifying shot was an ode to tennis. He mastered every element of it, with determination, the aggressiveness that comes from within.
He chained fourteen points off balance in the second set, leading 5-1. He made it a streak of four consecutive blank games with the serve, a shot he did his best on this occasion. Eleven aces, 40 out of 49 points in the first and 14 out of 25 in the second. He added 42 winners, nearly three times as many as unforced errors (15).
And the damage would have been bigger because they dominated the initial set 5-3 and served. But a ball on the tape at the start and another at the end of the odd ninth game, which gave Vukic unexpected paths, meant it was 5-4, suffering a ‘break’ blank. It’s a small crisis for Alcaraz who is almost done with his midterms. He dropped four straight games, from 5-2 to 5-6. He reacted to save himself and reach the tiebreak. He went from 5-1 to 5-4, but ended up winning because when he saw danger, he sped up. And it’s sweet.
Alcaraz’s work of art, which he enjoys on the lawn. Knowing that the requirement would increase by sixteen, he finished very well. His rivalry with Tiafoe began to play in his favor, a dangerous opponent, perfect to recalibrate the defender of the crown, who aims to become the ninth professional to retain the Wimbledon title.
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.
