Comparing yourself to number one in the world always adds to the pressure. The difficulty intensifies even more when this is the player. Carlos Alcaraz, A tennis player who broke the vestiges of precociousness and fell in love with a game that left tennis jaw-dropping at the age of 20 and added unique personal elements that combined the best of the ‘Big Three’ but incomparably complemented it. And in tennis open related to United States of America discussed by the one from El Palmar will play his fourth consecutive grand semi-final this Friday against Daniil Medvedev and third of the year (something Novak Djokovic only achieved before the age of 20) Alcaraz showed and felt itself once again. Top levelr.
Murcian is making his way to the semi-finals, just one step away from his fight for the title he won last year. dropped only one setagainst Daniel Evans in the third round. In the remaining matches (except the first game, when Dominil Koepfer retired) never spent more than two and a half hours on the track.
Even though he had some glitches in some aspects of his game (and he had some troubled moments in the last games, including Wednesday night’s 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 win against Alexander Zverev, to be able to play his first serve.) 4) Efficiency and much more. He managed to overlook them in the face of his excessive and decisive power. And he showed himself before all his rivals out of useher indisputable advantage.
Advantage at Grand Slams
It’s something that takes him to the semi-finals with a confidence as strong as his tennis and as strong as his head. And also a sense of superiority Recognizing without false modesty, Alcaraz, pYoungest seed in US Open historyadded to this season’s record six titles, won 57 out of 63 matches on and in them the last four (was absent in Australia due to injury) accumulating 24 wins and only one defeat.
“I feel advantageous in the Grand Slams”, he explained to the press in the early hours of Thursday. “Players I’ve Met they need to play at high level for a long time to beat mehe said referring to this format in five sets which makes him so, especially given that he is physically and mentally well an insurmountable obstacle for many.
Medvedev against the ropes
If anyone knows this Medvedevbesides losing with him this year indian wells He also fell in the Wimbledon semi-finals, where he added his second major victory to Alcaraz’s memorable victory over Djokovic. despite number 3 in the world and the New York champion in 2021 showed a good level in New York, and that’s felt.”10 out of 10He himself knows that even that is not enough against Alcaraz:I need to be 11 out of 10 to beat him,” he explained, anticipating his semi-final.
“Stronger than other players”analyzed the Muscovite. “If I get to 97% with a lot of people, I find it hard for them to get over me, I’m always there, I’m always running, I’m always trying to come back. But it might outshine you because it’s so powerful it’s right-handed winners at 160km/h and stuff like that. And some of us just can’t, even if we try”. “What makes it so difficult is that have all the shots”Added Medvedev. “Good forehand, good backhand, can cut, shoot…”
unusual force
Also, the advantage continues to increase as Zverev “could suffer” in the quarterfinal match. There, Alcaraz took advantage of four chances to break the serve and saved five chances against his opponent with unusual strength. determined aggression is more intense than ever. The Spaniard later analyzed in front of the press: “My team and I almost always laugh because I never do it the first time.” “But this time it was the other way around, basically I did it at the first opportunity and it’s been very good for us”.
The Hamburg native did not hesitate to activate the Alcaraz. inaccessible layer just where does it go DjokovicThe owner of the 23,000 will face young American Ben Shelton, one of the semi-finalists in New York, who will replace Murcia once again with #1 on Monday. “There are some things Novak does better and there are some things Carlos does better, but They are higher than others now,” said Zverev. they are trying to reach them. It’s that simple”.