ATP
Alcaraz sweats out a 5-setter to gain RG final
Carlos Alcaraz won a NextGen struggle with hot rival Jannik Sinner on Friday, squeezing out a 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory to enter his first career final at Roland Garros.
The Spaniard, a former No. 1 who now stands third, needed a fightback to overhaul his Italian opponent, winner of the Australian Open title five month ago.
Alcaraz will face off on Sunday for the title against either two-time semi-finalist Casper Ruud or fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev.
The battle between Alcaraz and Sinner lasted for more than four hours, with both men cramping in the third set before recovering to play on.
The match was no masterpiece, with more than 1000 combined unforced errors and a dozen breaks of serve from 24 aggregate chances.
Sinner saved two match points in the final game before firing wide as Alcaraz took victory.
“You have to find the joy in suffering, that was the key,” Alcaraz said. “It’s even (more intense) on the clay of Roland Garros.
“We had long rallies, four hours, five sets… we both had to fight and suffer.”
He added: “This was probably one of the toughest matches I’ve ever played – and many of them have been against Jannik.
“I hope to play many more matches like this against him, this one of my toughest for sure.
Alcaraz backed up his defeat of Sinner last March in Indian Wells as he reached his third career Grand Slam final and first at the French Open.
Sinner began the match on fire, going up a double break for 4-0 and not dropping a point on his own serve.
The Italian came down to earth slightly as he dropped serve in the sixth game but quickly put that right with a re-break of the Spaniard as Alcaraz sailed a return wide.
Sinner closed out the opener after 41 minutes on his third set point as Alcaraz sent an attempted drop shot short into the net.
Alcaraz began the second set by losing serve again, but took his first lead of the sunny afternoon as he broke Sinner back before nudging ahead 3-2.
But the Italian second seed was broken for a second time after a furious exchange of shots, with a Sinner backhand going wide to trail 2-4.
Alcaraz squared the match three games later after 90 minutes, winning the second set on his first chance as Sinner returned long to conclude with a dozen unforced errors.
Alcaraz earned an early third-set break, sending a sharply angled volley just over the net to take a 2-1 lead; Sinner immediately struck with a break-back for two games apiece.
The Italian then ran out the set with another break after having been treated by a physio with ointment and a massage for hand cramping.
Alcaraz later said he had the same problem, calling the set “weird.”
“We had to keep fighting, Keep going and the cramp will go away.
“I stayed there and fought, trying to make the points short.”
The fourth set stayed on serve until Alcaraz broke in the final game, firing a winner into the open court and sending the match into a deciding set after three and a quarter hours.
Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning five setter – by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos
Holger Rune battled past injured Carlos Alcaraz to spoil the Spanish Easter party at the Barcelona Open, with the Dane lifting the trophy 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The pair of 21-year-olds were familiar foes, having played 20 times in juniors before hitting the Tour; Rune won the first 500 series title of his career and his fifth overall.
Alcaraz was treated three times in the second set after an apparent injury to his upper right thigh/groin after duelling hard in the opening set at the Real Club.
The loss will send Alcaraz back to third in the rankings, with Alexander Zverev moving back to second behind Jannik Sinner as a result of winning the Munich title on Sunday.
Rune, a first-round victim last week in Monte Carlo, reversed his clay momentum in Spain, handing Alcaraz a first loss of a set for the week.
The Spanish top seed’s two final shots both clipped the top of the net and fell back as Rune raised his hands in celebration after 97 minutes on court in the Catalan capital.
“This means the world,” the winner said. “I started the match stressed, he was playing big-time tennis.
“I was able to find my rhythm after he broke me (3-2 in the opening set) and I got more into the match.
“The first set was a big battle with a lot of important points. It was super-important to win the set and gain momentum.
“I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune ended with 18 winners while the ailing Alcaraz produced 33 unforced errors. The Dane claimed his 50th match win on clay and levelled his Tour record in the series to 2-2.
Rune said he channeled Novak Djokovic’s Paris Olympic gold medal win from last summer over Alcaraz as he struggled to turn his game around in Barcelona.
“I asked myself what Novak did to win that final. I (realised) that I didn’t need to hit every ball on the line. I need to make him play and hit a lot of balls.”
Rune, who won the elite Paris Bercy Masters 1000 title in 2022, finally began reversing a 13-match loss streak against top five opponents.with his title victory.
Alcaraz may be racing for fitness with the Madrid Masters starting on Wednesday as the ATP ploughs ahead with an unpopular two-week format for Masters tournaments despite growing protest from exhausted players.
Main photo:- Holger Rune celebrates Barcelona win – by ATPTour.com
Alexander Zverev turned 28 on Sunday and awarded himself a third title on his home Munich clay as he beat Ben Shelton 6-2,6-4 to win the ATP event.
The 2017 and 2018 champion here is now threatening Carlos Alcaraz as the pair duel for the world No. 2 position which the Spaniard took over last week after winning Monte Carlo.
Zverev schooled lefthander Shelton in 70 minutes for a second win in their series. The winner becomes the second to hold three Munich titles after countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016).
“I’m enjoying my birthday so far,” Zverev said. “It’s extremely special to win in Germany, the most special thing I can do.
January’s Australian Open finalist added: “It’s definitely a great birthday present, I knew I had to play my best today, conditions were very hot and very fast.They were perfect for me.”
The winner broke three times while never facing a challenge to his serve from Shelton as he claimed a sixth career title at the 500-Tour level.
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev with his “birthday” trophy – by BMW Open/Bitpanda
Alexander Zverev gave fans in Munich what they were after as the top seed rolled into the final of the clay ATP in Bavaria with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 defeat of Fabian Marozsan.
World No. 3 Zverev, who won the titles in 2017 and 2018 needed 91 minutes to advance into a title match with Ben Shelton.
The American earned his spot with a .2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 defeat of Argentine Francisco Cerundolo.
Zverev advanced with nine aces and broke twice in the tidy win over his Hungarian opposition.
“It’s awesome. The entire week has been great. Everybody is really enjoying the weather as well as the new Center Court,” the winner said. .
“I’m enjoying myself and hopefully I will have another great day tomorrow.”
Shelton reached his fourth career final, becoming the first American man to reach a clay final above ATP 250 level since Andre Agassi won the Rome Masters 23 years ago.
“It’s a big win for me. To get a win on clay against a guy like him gives me a lot of confidence,” Shelton.
“I’m really happy and excited to be in a 500-level final in Europe, my second clay-court tournament this season.
“I’ve been playing well this week and I’m not too stressed right now.”
Main photo:-Alexander Zverev winning in front of his home crowd – by ATPTour.com
Sabalenka hoping to turn her luck in Stuttgart
Rune rises to the occasion with defeat of Alcaraz
Zverev grabs a birthday gift with third Munich title
-
Dubai3 weeks agoKasatkina confirms move to Australia
-
ATP4 weeks agoHenman joins Team Europe as Noah’s assistant
-
ATP4 weeks agoDimitrov casts his spell on Khachanov
-
Rouen5 days agoDart apologizes for “stinky” opponent jibe
-
Miami Open4 weeks agoPaolini powers past Osaka in Miami
-
ATP3 weeks agoBadosa aims for back injury return by Madrid
-
Miami Open4 weeks agoRaducanu set for huge rankings boost after Miami Open win
-
Miami Open4 weeks agoPhilippine teen swats Swiatek in Miami