Alcaraz wins first match at ATP Finals

Italy's Carlos Alcaraz kept his hopes of advancing to the ATP Finals alive, beating Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-2 in the second match of the Red Group on November 15.

True to his declaration that he wanted to beat every opponent left in the ATP Finals after losing to Alexander Zverev in the first round, Alcaraz played with utmost determination and concentration against Rublev. Throughout the match, the world number two did not have to save a single break point, and won three service games to close the match after 74 minutes.

Alcaraz celebrates a point in the win over Rublev at Pala Alpitour, Turin on November 15. Photo: AP

While Alcaraz played solidly, Rublev could only do so in the first games. The more he played, the more mistakes the Russian player made under pressure from his junior's heavy shots. He lost the decisive game of the first set, leading to a 5-7 defeat.

In the second set, Rublev lost the first game despite leading 40-15. The world number five, as usual, could not keep his composure. He kept hitting his racket on his leg, causing his knee to bleed.

Rublev's temper quickly led to a 2-6 loss in the second set. He was almost powerless to return Alcaraz's first serve in this match, winning only two of 34 points. Alcaraz lost only seven points on serve in the entire match, winning 94% of his first serve points and 62% of his second serve points.

"I played at a completely different level compared to the last match," Alcaraz said after the match. "This is the tennis I have to play if I want to have a chance in this great tournament. Yesterday, I worked hard to find the level I needed today. I am happy with the tennis."

After losing to Zverev in the first round, Alcaraz complained that the Turin court was too fast. But in the second round, he adapted well to this. "On a fast court like this, you need to be more aggressive than your opponent," Alcaraz added, after the match in which he overwhelmed Rublev in the final rallies.

The 64th win of the season helped Alcaraz break a three-match losing streak. With one win and one loss, the Spaniard will be sure to reach the semi-finals if he beats Daniil Medvedev 2-0 in the final match. In case he fails to do so, Alcaraz still has hope if the other matches have favorable results. In the remaining match of the second round of the Red Group, Medvedev meets Zverev at 3am on November 16, Hanoi time.

Vy Anh

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