Tennis – Olympic Games – semi-final –
Fatigue? Who said fatigue? Nobody would say that those unbridled colt legs have played eight matches in the last week. Carlos Alcaraz flies here and there and beats his chest, already the winner, the brand new finalist in these Games thanks to another sovereign demonstration of strength that the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime suffers and pays for: double 6-1, in 1h 16m. Spain has, therefore, another guaranteed medal, waiting only to know which colour it will be: gold or silver. On Sunday, against Novak Djokovic or Lorenzo Musetti —mentioned in today’s second match—, the decision will be made. Meanwhile, the prodigious tennis player from El Palmar already figures in Olympic history, joined in his first participation by the illustrious who obtained the individual medal. Among them, a certain Rafael Nadal, in 2008, and before them Jordi Arrese (silver in 1992), Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (bronze in 92 and silver in 1996), Sergi Bruguera (1996) and Pablo Carreño (bronze in 2021) paved the way.
Alcaraz, a vampire himself, is beginning to show his fangs as he enters the hot zone of tournaments. After three matches resolved through skill, intelligence and good work while alternating with doubles, he took a big bite out of American Tommy Paul in the quarterfinals and this Friday he bites hard into Auger-Aliassime, a tennis player as suggestive as he is low in spirits who has recently lost his edge and is now trying to revive himself. Owner of a prodigious frame, he has plenty of punch on that forehand and that serve, very difficult to contain with a tailwind, but the mind, a transcendental factor, has so far prevented an explosion that not long ago was taken for granted and that continues to resist. He has not finished polishing his backhand and, perhaps, a little more bad temper on the court would help him compete better.
However, everyone is as they are. And that expression that languishes as the mourning progresses and the obstacles fall offers too many clues. breaksAliassime, an extraordinary boy according to those around him, is twisting his face and lowering his head because he cannot find a solution or an exit, not even through the path of drive. From right to right, there is no discussion either. Alcaraz takes a run-up to make all those tremendous discharges from the wall, to the rest, bending the ball and directing it towards the other end with revolutionary violence, more and more spinpoisoned effect and a lot of weight to dig into that confidence that is too fragile. The Murcian was absolutely dominant, closing the first set with three breaks and piloting the game as he pleased, with the seriousness of these days and the additional plus that his racket incorporates when he sees a bigger objective nearby.
From less to more, perfectly detecting when he should accelerate, he disarmed Paul the day before and once his wings were spread, he enjoyed himself even more against Aliassime. He curls the ball, reverses when he touches it, covers all the gaps and dazzles with the balls those who had not yet had the opportunity to witness his explosive tennis live. The proposal is delicious, surely incomparable today because no player offers such harmony between the technical, the physical and the mental. He is a whole in turmoil, but there is a significant margin of improvement in his team. He is no longer what is seen, but what he can become tomorrow. He usually comes and goes in the matches, sins of youth, excess of confidence; however, he compensates for these temporary deviations with that overwhelming display and that capacity to recover that psychologically breaks the rivals.
The Canadian is quick to fail, looking for ways and replying as best he can, chasing the ball and wondering how the hell his opponent does all these things. Brilliant when he takes the initiative, the seams pop out on the defensive and Alcaraz flies placidly down the Chatrier, knowing that sooner rather than later, the opponent is going to fall. And so it happens again. Another slip, the same sequence. The price of going to the limit. Just like in the first break of the opening set, Auger-Aliassime commits another double fault that costs him his serve and, in the same vein, his attempt to get up is succumbing to the progressive onslaught of the Spaniard, who closes with authority and looks resolutely to Sunday’s match, knowing that the facts are there and that the statistics are on his side. He has played in four major finals so far, and in all of them he prevailed. This Olympic gold is too succulent to let it slip away.
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