On Friday, the second-ranked player in the world, Carlos Alcaraz, put on an impressive display and defeated Russia’s Daniil Medvedev with a score of 6-4 6-4. This secured Alcaraz’s spot in the semi-finals of the ATP Finals.
The 20-year-old dispelled any concerns about his performance with a precise and impressive showing in his last Red Group game, securing a spot in the semi-finals alongside Medvedev. Despite Medvedev, seeded third, already securing a spot in the semis, he still delivered some outstanding tennis, but Alcaraz capitalized on crucial service breaks in each set.
Even though he lost his first match to Germany’s Alexander Zverev, Alcaraz is currently leading the Red Group and will compete against the runner-up from the Green Group, Novak Djokovic, in an exciting semi-final. The other semi-final will showcase Medvedev against the crowd favorite Jannik Sinner.
In the beginning of the match, Medvedev seemed to be the more threatening player, but he was unable to take advantage of opportunities to break in the fourth game. However, Alcaraz, who is new to the tournament, stepped up his game at 3-3 and executed four impressive points to break his opponent’s serve. He capitalized on Medvedev’s mistakes at 4-4 in the second set to secure another break. Ultimately, he won the match in a dominant manner.
“According to Alcaraz, I had to maintain mental fortitude as I faced some challenges with my serving and his exceptional return abilities. Despite this, I remained composed and resilient.”
Alcaraz, currently ranked as the world’s number one player, will face Djokovic in their first match since Alcaraz’s defeat to the Serb in the Cincinnati final.
Zverev emerged victorious in the final group match against Andrey Rublev with only prize money on the line, winning 6-4, 6-4.
Zverev stated that he must reflect on the past week with a positive mindset. He was able to defeat Alcaraz and Rublev, and being amongst the top eight players in the world and winning two matches has given him a sense of hope. He expressed that he is highly motivated for the upcoming year.
Source: theguardian.com
