In the match between the two best Spaniards on the circuit, the young Murcian won. Thus, he won his first victory against the winner of 21 Grand Slam tournaments and, incidentally, obtained the ticket to face the world number one in the semi-finals of the competition.
For Carlos Alcaraz (9th) on May 6, 2022, his whole life will be marked. It will be the day when, in the most important tournament in his country, he manages to beat his idol and his model for the first time. The victory over Rafael Nadal (4th) marks a turning point in his career and in Spanish tennis . Although the Balearics still have some strength on the circuit, the first defeat against the one who will undoubtedly be his heir, revolutionizes the European country and sets a precedent.
Especially because of the image that Carlos left on the pitch, playing with power, class and combat. Three styles that he combines perfectly and that place him at only 19 years old at the top of the world . At the start of the year, few believed that Murcia could enter the Top 10. Today, it is almost irresponsible not to think that he could end the year among the top 3 on the planet. The top of the ranking in 2022? Too early to rule it out entirely.
Because to tell the truth, every week it makes a leap in quality. The United States Masters 1000 installed him as a reference planetary player , arriving at this Madrid full of enthusiasm, but also with confidence and tennis through the roof. This is how Manolo Santa entered the field, with the sole objective of beating Nadal.
He had been close in Indian Wells, so he understood that now was the big opportunity. Against a sluggish and tired Rafa after three hours of play yesterday against Goffin , the elements aligned so that for the first time the apprentice surpassed the master. And in the first set, it fell on him. It was faster, more aggressive and smarter.
Nadal for his part without answers to a match which left him out of breath with each exchange of balls. So Alcaraz closed the first set of the match 6-2 and gave the impression that everything was written. But at 1-2 in the second set, a fall from the Spaniard turned the tide.
It was a time when the Murcian hurt his ankle and palm, losing the momentum he had. That of Manacor for his part smelled the blood and crushed the boy in what remained of the partial. He won four games in a row and left the game tied and the public went mad.
Already in the third set, the concentration of the current Miami Open champion returned, who quickly broke and left the score in his favor. Without pain and without doubt, he never lost the advantage and won what is the most important victory of his career. exciting, when at the traditional TV camera sign-off, he wrote “What happened?” . It’s the amazement of a 19-year-old who just beat the guy who was on the posters in his room when he was little.
But he will soon have to come out of the astonishment, because in less than 24 hours he will have to face the world number one in the semi-finals of the Masters 1000 in Madrid. Djokovic is waiting for him with the intention of bringing him down, while Alcaraz wants to keep unleashing the madness. Another litmus test and another day that can be marked on your calendar for life.
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Source: Latercera
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
