TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS – Carlos Alcaraz (20) claimed his first victory at the Tournament of Champions, the Spanish debutant managed 7:5, 6:2 against Andrej Rubljov (26) after an almost flawless performance. Thanks to the two-set win, he significantly increased his chances of advancing to the elimination fights, while the Russian also lost the second match clearly in two sets and ends up in the group. Daniil Medvedev (27), who defeated Alexander Zverev (26) 7:6, 6:4 in the duel between former champions, has already secured a place in the semifinals and continues without losing a set.
Alcaraz – Rubljov 7:5, 6:2
Carlos Alcaraz in the first seven months of the ongoing season, he collected six trophies and won his second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. However, after dominating the most famous tournament, he stopped doing well, he is still waiting for another triumph and already on Sunday he lost the fight for the end-of-year post of world number one with Novak Djokovic.
He was supposed to make his debut at the Tournament of Champions last year, but an injury prevented him from going to the Italian capital. In the Pala Alpitour arena in Turin, he is performing for the first time this year and in the opening match with Alexander Zverev he confirmed his weak form and did not reach a 1:0 lead in the sets. He thus recorded his first streak of three defeats since March 2021, when he was still active here and there on challengers.
Match statistics. (@livesport)
In the premiere mutual fight with Andrei Rublev however, he did not let himself take the lead. He was uncompromising on serve and lost only seven fifteens in total. However, he only broke the opponent’s resistance at the end of the opening act, when he used the third break point in the match at 5:5. At the beginning of the second set, he managed another break, in the next course he dominated the court and won the last 12 points.
The former leader of the rankings significantly increased his chances of advancing with a two-set victory. Last year’s semi-finalist Rubljov, on the other hand, definitely lost the opportunity to advance to the semi-finals, because he did not even win a set against Daniil Medvedev, with whom he even played one less game.
“It was a completely different game, I performed much better. I need that level if I want to have a chance at this amazing tournament.” Alcaraz compared the encounter with Rublev and Zverev. “I had a really good training session yesterday which helped me to perform so well today. I’m very satisfied” he added.
Medvedev – Zverev 7:6, 6:4
Daniil Medvedev He dominated the Tournament of Champions in 2020 and reached the final in the following season. But last year, just like in his debut in 2019, he lost all three matches in the group and did not repeat the successes of previous seasons.
This year, however, he defeated the first two opponents 2:0 in sets and was the first to secure a place in the semi-finals. After the win over his compatriot Rubljov, he also My Alexander Zverev, whom he defeated 7:6, 6:4 in a replay of last year’s final. He adjusted the mutual balance to 11:7, including 5:1 this season and 3:2 in the Tournament of Champions.
Medvedev opened the match by winning his opponent’s serve, but Zverev equalized in the sixth game and then it was decided in a tie-break. The German tennis player did not use two set points in it, while the opponent converted the first one. Then both rivals held serve for a long time, Medvedev first averted the very first break point of the second set in the ninth game, and then he himself took advantage of the first and only chance offered when Zverev served.
Match statistics Daniil Medvedev – Stefanos Tsitsipas (@Livesport)
“Mentally, it was a very demanding match. I started well, Saša had a weaker start. But he got into it and I, on the other hand, gradually got worse. I was glad that I mobilized my strength and won the first set. I am very grateful for that win I’m happy, at the end of the season I lost a few similar matches, so this victory is really nice,” said world number three Medvedev in a post-match interview.
Procedure variants
On Friday, Alcaraz and Zverev will compete ‘at a distance’ for the second promotion place from the Red Group. The Spaniard has a better starting position, for whom any win over Medvedev, who is already a certain semi-finalist, is enough. In theory, any defeat would also send him further, if Zverev lost to the already eliminated Rublev.
“Even though I already have a certain semi-final, I want to win the group. I don’t want to lose the winning rhythm. I have unfinished business with Carlos and we have some rivalry. I hope to show my best tennis and the spectators will enjoy it.” Medvedev indicated his motivation before the last match in the group against Alcaraz, whom he can dethrone from the position of world number two at the end of the season.
The semi-finalists of the Green Group will be decided already on Thursday. Six-time champion Novak Djokovic will secure the semi-finals with a 2-0 win over substitute Hubert Hurkacz in the afternoon, while the undefeated Italian Jannik Sinner would need to win at least a set against Holger Rune in the evening. If the Serb loses a set, Sinner will be certain of the semi-finals before the last match in the group.
Ranking of singles groups | Ranking of the doubles groups
Tournament of Champions results
Article originally published for Livesport News.
2023-11-15 23:04:44
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