This Wednesday, Carlos Alcaraz from Spain secured his first victory over Andrey Rublev of Russia, dominating in two sets 7-5 and 6-2 as he demonstrated authority at the ATP Finals in Turin, keeping his chances for the semi-finals alive.
Although they had never met in an official match, Alcaraz and Rublev had shared the court in practice and exhibitions. The clash was unprecedented, yet both players knew each other well. The fastest court in play was the Pala Alpitour, and it brought their first official encounter. While Rublev might have benefited from the home court atmosphere, Alcaraz executed his plan with precision and control.
Alcaraz left his opponent bereft of easy opportunities, and during the first break of the second set, Rublev briefly vented his frustration by striking the racket against his leg, a sign of the pressure mounting as the Spaniard imposed his game. The Spaniard had started strong from the outset, despite Rublev arriving with confidence and a recent streak of solid form, but Alcaraz’s relentless hitting began to tilt the balance decisively.
After a season that had seen him endure fatigue and questions about his peak form, the 2nd-ranked Spaniard faced a period of doubt. Yet the youthful talent, known for his resilience, appeared eager to prove his standing and add clarity to his status among the tour’s elite, especially ahead of a tough contest against a formidable rival like Djokovic, who remains a perennial challenge on the road to the semi-finals.
Rublev, trying to pace a long fight, started as the more dynamic runner and counter puncher, but as minutes passed, his level dipped. He began to show visible anger and a growing sense of frustration as he found it hard to crack the solid wall presented by Alcaraz.
Alcaraz opened the match with a setback, losing the first day’s opening to German Alexander Zverev, yet he managed to win the first set. A tense stretch near 4-4, with Rublev narrowly saving a break point, testified to a close encounter as both players exchanged heavy blows and high-caliber returns. In the end, the Spaniard edged ahead as the Russians faded and the set concluded with Alcaraz stabilizing his serve and pressure at key moments.
The Spaniard’s persistence and improvement over the course of the match pushed the score to 6-5 in the second set, with Alcaraz delivering a serve that kept the rally alive and reestablished his initiative at a critical juncture.
Rublev’s cries of disappointment grew louder as the pressure mounted; his frustration peaked as he failed to break through and the emotional response included an outburst that reflected the intensity of the moment. That outburst coincided with a momentary lapse as Rublev’s follow-through saw him hurt his knee slightly after striking the racket and venting his energy in a non-constructive way. Those moments underscored the pressure of the match and Rublev’s realization that victory would not come easily this time.
With the score advancing to 3-1 in favor of the Spaniard, the momentum seemed firmly on Alcaraz’s side, and Rublev soon faced a formidable test despite continuing to resist. Alcaraz rose to the challenge, and a concluding break at 5-5 sealed the match in his favor, delivering a confident finish on serve and confirming his first Masters Cup win.
The opening set may have been rocky, but Alcaraz rallied to prevail in a second set that delivered more settled play, securing victory in roughly an hour and a half of intense battle. Looking ahead, the Spaniard would face Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final phase, while Rublev faced an uphill battle to secure one of the top-two spots in the standings as the round-robin phase progressed.