Rafa Nadal He was chewing on his last statements on the defeat against Botic Van de Zandschulp when a journalist whispered “it was a break”. Alcaraz had already had time to recover his serve immediately after losing it. Once the anxiety generated by going down a break in particular and having lost the first point of the draw in general had dissipated, Carlitos unleashed himself and crushed Griekspoor (7-6, 6-3).
He got in tune with the court, which was as fast as his power shots. By then, Griekspoor had already started to collapse after presenting himself in an imposing manner during the match. entered The Dutchman spins off the slipway and runs aground on the track. He threw the racket against the ground, the audience, mostly Spanish, reproached him and he made gestures with his arms to ask for more.
It was given to him by Alcaraz, whose correction was not merciless during the tie-break of the first set. He left no fault for the Dutchman. Sudden death in white for the Murcianwho responds on the pitch with the feeling of the stands. “Carlos, Carlos.” They push him. On the other side of the track, Dutch rock is suffering from cracks which are getting worse with the arrival of the second round.
Alcaraz pushes Griekspoor against the back of the field. It overwhelms him. Sometimes it looks like a leaf immersed in Hurricane Carlitos, which smells of blood and punishes with right. Ferrer enjoys himself from the bench, more relaxed than during Rafa’s match. Now it is the Dutch tennis player who suffers.
Carlos breaks again and consolidates it with his serve. No trace of the nasal patch that helped him compete Turin. Nothing remains of the cold, nor of this tennis held back by illness. He violently lets go of his right hand and puts his finger to his ear. Its three “c”s coexist in harmony. The opposite happens on the other side of the track.
Griekspoor’s head no longer works and therefore neither does his heart, to which he clings in an attempt to prolong the match. But Carlos finishes it quickly. Empty game and won match. A draw and oxygen for Spain, which will play its future in the Davis doubles.
Alcaraz beats a rival who was combative at the start and dominated at the end, who, yes, put up more battles than when they faced each other just under two months ago in Beijing. At that point, the clock showed 51 minutes when Alcaraz was already enjoying his first match point and 56 minutes when he scored what is his quickest victory ever. This also resulted in his 200th victory on the circuit. The one for this Tuesday is understood as the start of the return on the Netherlands.
