The big date is served. Carlos Alcaraz will be this Friday in the Roland Garros semifinals against Novak Djokovic. He won the chair of central Philippe Chatrier with a display of tennis against Stefanos Tsitsipas which he got rid of 6-2, 6-1 and 7-6 (5).
“I’m ready,” he had challenged tsitsipas the day before before facing Alcaraz. The Greek was willing to erase the smile of the world number 1. He seemed no bravado as the Greek won the first game of the match with three aces. There wasn’t much else. As soon as Alcaraz made the ‘break’ (2-1), Tsitsipas no longer found an answer to the cyclone that came from the other side of the network. The gusty wind that blew at the center seemed directed to his liking by the relentless Murcian tennis player.
In 30 minutes, the Greek had given up the first set and conceded a humiliating streak of 13 points in a row almost without touching that small yellow ball that bounced from one side of the court to the other, in all directions, painting lines or falling one meter from the net.
Impotence must have felt tsitsipas before humiliation. alcaraz I was in a hurry. She so much that she waited in a corner of the track, jumping, while the operators watered her. Tsitsipas, sitting in the chair, looked at his box for help. Just half an hour later, Alcaraz scored the second set, giving up just one game.
a relentless hammer
The encouragement to Tsitsipas from the fans who had paid for some “golden rooms”, as announced on the cover of the tournament program, was of no use. Over and over again Alcaraz silenced them with exclamations of admiration for the blows that the Murcian tennis player dealt from any area of the court. His Babolat racket was a hammer that he shot with strength, speed and accuracy. On the track it seemed that only Alcaraz was there, with a remote control, playing on the Play.
The superiority was almost humiliating. But Alcaraz did not loosen up. Juan Carlos Ferrero I encouraged him to continue and he raised his fist and celebrated each point looking at his box. He had three ‘match balls’ at 5-2 and 5-4, but rushed. And Tsitsipas, who was struggling to get off the track with some pride, forced the ‘tie break’. Alcaraz took it in the sixth ‘match ball’.
In 2 hours and 12 minutes alcaraz He signed his pass to the semifinals. The second he will play in a Grand Slam after winning the US Open last year. He was lto 25 season gravel win and the Murcian adds 12 in a row in Grand Slam.
tsitsipas He had not won in any of the four previous matches against Alcaraz, this Tuesday he conceded his fifth defeat without being able to erase the smile with which he left the headquarters, happy. Away from the stage, but sure pending the game, Djokovic should have taken note of how to deal with that”great guy, who reminds me of someone from his country”he said after qualifying for the semifinals.