The stands at La Fonteta chanted ‘Yes you can!’ to Carlos Alcaraz, but no matter how hard the Murcian rowed and rowed, resisting with everything until the end, there was no turning back. The fiery version of Felix Augger-Aliassime is something of a flash and the Canadian ended the winning streak of the Spaniard who, after linking seven wins in a row in New York, found a brake on his first intervention of the week: 6-7 ( 3). 6-4 and 6-2, in 2h 50m. Previously, Roberto Bautista had won the series opener (3-6, 6-3 and 6-3 against Vasek Pospisil), giving Spain top spot in their Davis Cup group in doubles – unfinished at the end of this edition.
Little fault Alcaraz, brand new number one. He struggled from start to finish, but he came up against the most astute Aliassime, the one who runs in favor and is capable of anything with a hot right hand. The Canadian, 22 years old and 13th in the world, is a Guadian player yet to be exploited; he grows and deceives, but he’s still a tennis player of moments, of flashes; Sometimes it impresses, sometimes it disappoints. He has not yet reached the middle ground. He shows up in Valencia due to the early exit at Flushing Meadows – he had skipped the team event in the first place – and on Wednesday he gave up against Soonwoo Kwon but stepped up before the big event. bright day
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The debut of Alcaraz as the new race director, the youngest (aged 19) to ever crown the ATP, is embittering. The Spaniard doesn’t stop taking his pulse, which couldn’t be with him last year, just in New York where he retired injured (losing 6-3 and 3-1). The boy is more than struggling after three tackles in five sets and the extension of the final five days ago, and in the final moments he accuses him. Still, he managed to snag the first part and refute the second; however, he ran out of sparks in the third and after giving up serve to first gave away four break points that could have leveled the match.
Despite Aliassime’s flare-up, the pulse continued on a fine wire, despite the Canadian knowing it and being able to decant in his favour. He asserted his energy and in those moments when his rival tried to raise his head, three more options to get into limbo, he showed that he is a player who can fully dominate anyone. In addition, Alcaraz weighed the transition logically: different surfaces and balls in a minimal time interval, with only a few training sessions in the legs. The Murcian boot was on fire – literally forced to change them by drilling the brace in one of his chutes – and he tried everything but it was the night of the highly inspired Aliassime.
Before the first chance to level the lead disappeared, Bautista, who had already scraped a point against Miomir Kecmanovic two days ago, came back from Pospisil. The man from Castellón (34 years old) prevailed in the veterans’ meeting, which the Canadian (32nd and 141st in the world) finished with physical problems in the gluteus maximus and a cramp in his hand. However, he had the opportunity to open a gap in the last sleeve, but he made a mistake and in response, the Spaniard signed the break that gave him the flight back.
The series will be decided this Friday in the matchup that is currently taking place: Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martínez against Aliassime and Pospisil. A win would secure Spain top spot in Group B, while a win for Canada would open up Sunday’s final and even give South Korea a chance.
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