Semi-final chance lives on

Alcaraz celebrates first victory at the ATP Finals

Carlos Alcaraz(Bild: AP)

Carlos Alcaraz has celebrated his first victory at the ATP Finals in Turin. The world number three defeated Andrei Rublev 6:3, 7:6(8) on Wednesday.

The Spaniard, who is in poor health, now has every chance of reaching the semi-finals. He had surprisingly lost his first match on Monday against the Norwegian Casper Ruud 1:6, 5:7.

(Bild: APA/AFP)

Alcaraz had been struggling with breathing problems in Turin over the past few days, which is one of the reasons why the four-time Grand Slam tournament winner played with a pink nose plaster against Rublev. The 2024 French Open and Wimbledon winner initiated the win in the first set with a break to make it 4:3, and thanks to another break, he had the set in the bag after 37 minutes. In the second set, both players held their serve, which is why it went into a tie-break. The Spaniard pulled 4:1 ahead there, but had to fend off two set points at 5:6 and 7:8 before he was able to convert his second match point.

"I really surprised myself," emphasized Alcaraz due to his state of health. "I was really calm, focused on my game and forgot that I wasn't feeling so well. The focus was on a good forehand and backhand, it went really well, I'm really happy," summed up the 21-year-old world number three, who had also recently admitted to being mentally tired at the end of the season.

Andrei Rublev(Bild: APA/AFP)

Rublev, who is ranked eighth in the world, has now lost six matches in a row without winning a set since reaching the semi-finals of the season-ending tournament for the top eight players in 2022. He lost to Zverev in the opening match.