Arms up and hands to the head. In just 65 minutes, Carlos Alcaraz has not missed the opportunity to become the heir to Rafael Nadal in Barcelona by beating his friend Pablo Carreno by 6-3 and 6-2. It is the fourth title of her spectacular career. “The finals are not played, they are won. That is what was instilled in me since I was little. The best match of the tournament”he said on the track, happy and proud after saving himself from the KO in the semifinals.
alcaraz It will appear today at number 9 in the world. Like Nadal in 2005, when 17 years ago, also on April 25, he bit his first title in Barcelona, the Murcian tennis player is already in the club of the 10 best on the circuit with 18 years, 11 months and 22 days. Just one month and two days later than the former world number 1, 12-time champion of the Barcelona tournament.
Two ‘match balls’ saved
Three hours after saving himself from elimination, in a marathon match against the Australian Alex De Minaur who won 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4) and 6-4, after a battle of 3 hours and 43 minutes. A match where the Australian missed two match balls at 6-5, in the second set, especially one that missed the net with his forehand and the entire open court that he will remember for a long time.
After the “miracle & rdquor; of the semifinals, as Alcaraz recognized, the end has been much more placid. a match between friends, “the younger brother against the older”, how the two recognize each other. The equality has lasted four games. As soon as Alcaraz has made the first ‘break’ (3-2) he has already put the direct to dominate as he likes. With the kick from him, with his powerful right hand aimed at the lines, some ‘magical’ drop shots to break the rhythm and, above all, much more patience than he had had in the morning against DeMinaurthe young Murcian tennis player has not let his prey escape.
Carreño has not found a way to overcome his little brother. It was contained on the track. He lacked spark and his legs felt heavy despite the fact that, in the semifinals, he had barely worn himself out to beat the Argentine Diego Schwartzmann (6-3, 6-4).
Ferrero: “he smelled blood”
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Yesterday was the first time they met in an ATP circuit tournament, although they have shared friendship and training at the ATP academy for years. John Charles Ferrero in Villena. During the covid-19 pandemic, they spent almost three months preparing together daily. he owes you a lot alcaraz a Carreno of those days but, on the court, how the Murcian tennis player said before the final “there are no friends”. After yes, after the final, the two friends sat on the chairs waiting and commenting on the game while the doubles title was delivered to the Germans Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies who defeated the Mexican Santiago González and the Argentine Andrés Molteni 6-7 (6), 6-4 and 10-4.
His trainer , Ferrero, highlighted the mentality of his disciple. “He smelled blood and went for it. The virtue of Carlos is that he gives everything and in the finals always one more extra”, highlighted the former number 1, who also did not forget the bad times that Alcaraz had during the week. “There have been ups and downs”, he pointed out happy to see him collect that trophy that he himself won in 2001, when Alcaraz was not even born.Alcaraz the 14th Spanish champion since Andrew Gimeno won the first title in 1960.