Phenomenal Alcaraz: beats Nadal and reaches Djokovic in the semifinals

There was no shortage of twists and turns in front, but in the end there was the long-awaited handover. At the end of a troubled match, marked by interruptions, illnesses and injuries, Carlos Alcaraz takes the most beautiful but also the most symbolic victory of his career and does it at home, against the usual idol Rafa Nadal. One day after his nineteenth birthday, El Palmar’s Next Gen won in three sets against the Majorcan with a score of 6-2 1-6 6-3, matured in two hours and 27 minutes of play. From one rite of passage to another: in the semifinals, the number 9 in the world will face for the first time in his career the leader of the classification Novak Djokovic, who in the early afternoon overtook Hubert Hurkacz without too many problems.

PHENOMENALCARAZ

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An uncertain start by Nadal gives the 19-year-old a resounding break at the opening, after just 4 minutes of play. Alcaraz, however, is unable to properly manage the advantage and everything has to be redone in no time at all. In the third game the script does not change: the Majorcan fades a chance for the 2-1 and pressed by the pounding tennis of the number 9 in the world ends up giving up the service again. The news is therefore the turn of service preserved by Alcaraz in the fourth game, which allows him to hoist himself on 3-1. Rafa tries to stay attached to the score but a second break advantage gained at 4-2 leads Alcaraz to serve for the set. Too many chinks left by the left-handed and the level of the Next Gen too high: for him 19 winners against only 2 of the veteran. It’s 6-2.

the injury

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In the second set Nadal finally puts a point on the painful series of games suffered consecutively (4). The pace is dictated by the services up to 2-1, when Carlos stumbles on an attempt to recover, injuring his ankle. At the change of court, the intervention of the doctor allows the Next Gen to get back on track but it does not take long before he suffers the 3-1 break. Ten minutes of break go by due to an illness in the stands that interrupts the game but on returning to the field Nadal immediately sets the record straight, taking off with the double break of 5-1. Official 6-1, the remuntada of the 35 year old begins.

brilliance

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Upon returning to the field, the baby phenomenon does not seem to accuse particular resentments deriving from the frightening fall or the loss of the second set, on the contrary. The keywords are brilliance and clarity in this portion of the match, with the fourth game representing the turning point for him and the end of the games for the Majorcan, too foul. Nadal allows himself for the first time since the opening set and with the only break of 3-1, Carlos heads for the finish line. It is enough for him to maintain consistency at the bar to finish 6-3. “What happened?” He writes in disbelief on the camera but it really happened.