Carlos Alcaraz puts the signature in perfect form, with a delicate volley that certifies a round debut in Indian Wells: double 6-3 to Tanasi Kokkinakis, in 1h 16m. Injury? No sign. not a? Elevated, close to protruding. It has been a round debut in which the Murcian, who reappeared after being absent from Acapulco last week due to an ailment in the hamstring of his right leg, not only has not offered any sign of discomfort but has uncorked a very high-carat tennis . Impeccable on serve, powerful in the rally and definitive when he proceeds, the Spaniard meets the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the Spanish early morning from Monday to Tuesday and warns: “I love Indian Wells”. Well that. Warned everyone. He likes and wants this tournament that he resisted last year.
From the front row, the owner of the tournament, billionaire Larry Ellison, applauds, and the legendary Rod Laver joins the clapping, who in addition to being one of the great historical references of his sport, has good taste and knows how to differentiate what is worthwhile today. , what and who to see. He opted this Sunday for Alcaraz’s ardent proposal and he has a great time, because he attends a recital that places the Spaniard one victory away from 100 -now there are 99 in 131 games- and clears up any unknown, if he could have it: physically restored, confirms the sensations emitted in the previous one – “I am prepared, training a complete”– and bares its teeth from the starting point. On the charge but without any mistake, without comings or goings, he leaves a very complete performance.
They suffer Kokinakkis, one of those promises that has not managed to overcome the barrier of illusion, with more poster than arguments for now. 94th in the ATP, the 26-year-old Australian instilled respect for coming with rhythm and always appearing like a poisonous rival, but he confirmed again that he still has a world to go to get closer to the second car on the circuit if he wants. Brittle and with notable gaps, before Alcaraz it is absorbed by the avalanche. In the blink of an eye, he already accused a 3-0, and the Spaniard – “working, let’s go, working”, Juan Carlos Ferrero insists from the box– underline the gap as his arm catches heat and imposes cruising speed; first set to ask for mouth, with 10 winners, 4 errors and a single point ceded with the serve. Soul Tank Kokkinakis already hints at a serious leak.
The story doesn’t change too much in the next one. The one follows his own, applied, creative and devastating every time he finds a short ball or outlines with the right, and the other making the rubber with great difficulty. He tries to re-engage the Australian, but Alcaraz does not let him, who leaves an extremely convincing intervention: to the usual plasticity and fantasy he adds a linearity that satisfies his coach. There are no curves, there is no up and down. Brilliance, effectiveness. From start to finish, hit and control. Ferrero approves and Jimmy Connors enjoys from the stands, who recently urged the Spaniard to Carpe Diem: “What does it matter what others say? It’s his career, it’s his body. He’s doing his best to get back to where he was before the injuries. Enjoy and be happy.” With a smile on his face, the 19-year-old from El Palmar let out just five points with first serves and two with seconds. ko technician to start.
“I am fully recovered. I have moved really well and I have felt comfortable ”, she corroborates her in the conference room. “I try to make people enjoy watching me, and I think they like the way I play. I just try to have fun and be relaxed, not think and live in the moment. To go for it. I try to put pressure on my opponent with every shot; in the remains, for example”, continues the number two, who would recover the one if he wins the trophy on the 19th. “I like my backhand, hit it and go to the net. But today he surprised me with the serve; I served very well in the first set [un punto cedido de 21] and in the second too. I am working hard on it”, Alcaraz concludes.
Badosa, with a new technician
His good work is accompanied by that of Paula Badosa, which in turn means goodbye to Nuria Párrizas from Granada. She could only stay one: 6-2 and 7-5, after 1h 38m. The Catalan, who was unable to compete in Australia due to a last-minute injury and then could not get through the first rounds in Doha and Dubai, returns to her fetish tournament and changes her face, with a new tenant on the bench, the British Joel Canell: “This is my favorite place in the world,” he says with a smile from ear to ear, knowing that, tennis things, he will face Elena Rybakina, his doubles partner in the Californian desert and extremely bone on the next stop. hard to crack, while the Kazakh – last champion at Wimbledon and finalist in Melbourne two months ago – will disembark at the crossroads on Monday as a favorite.
She advances and the number one, Iga Swiatek, does so in an intimidating way, who in 65 minutes pulverizes Claire Liu, to whom she only concedes one game: 6-1 and 6-0. In parallel, the old rockers continue to be noticed; the progression of the Scotsman Andy Murray offers novelty, since he reduces Radu Albot in two sets and does not dilate, neither a marathon nor an epic this time (6-4 and 6-3), while the Swiss Stan Wawrinka separates Miomir Kecmanovic ( 7 -6(8) and 6-4) and accredits his return to Top 100. Meanwhile, Spanish tennis suffers two more losses, those of the Valencian Pedro Martínez –inferior to Felix Auger-Aliassime, 7-6(5) and 6-4– and the Asturian Pablo Carreño, who could not even jump on the court due to an elbow problem that precipitates his return home.
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