Atp Basel – Alcaraz returns to normal. Vienna: Aliassime ‘sees’ the Finals
After the roller coaster ride with Jack Draper in the first round, Carlos Alcaraz indulges in a good picnic with Botis Van de Zandschlup in Basel. The number one in the world, who needed to degrease the gears to get the better of the British, in a decidedly different match finds above all the corners with more continuity and serves in a decidedly more varied way.
Needless to say, he seals the first set at 6-4 and spreads in the second, also thanks to a scoring situation that allows him to put his feet on the field with more tranquility and above all to impose himself with the forehand.
The 6-4 6-2 final gives the talent the Spanish quarter-final challenge with the winner of the match between Dominic Strickner and Pablo Carreno Busta. At the same time, despite a thousand complications, the winning streak of Felix Auger Aliassime continues after the back-to-back signed between Florence and Antwerp.
The talent beats one of the main Swiss hopes of the tournament in three sets (Marc Huesler, champion in Sofia a few weeks ago) and is fast approaching the ATP Finals in Turin. Considering also the misstep, which we will talk about, of Taylor Fritz in Vienna.
Speaking of great ascents, there is also that of Holger Rune, who after his triumph in Stuttgart overcomes the most banal (so to speak) litmus test with Alex de Minaur. In Austria the problems of Stefanos Tsitsipas lasted a set, called to dispute a complicated tie break with Dennis Novak.
Once the problems were sorted out, the Greek tennis player took total control of the matter and won the success with a very rocky 7-6 (3) 6-2. Everything even simpler for Daniil Medvedev, who like Andrey Rublev and Aliassime is getting closer and closer to the masterone.
Against Nikoloz Basilashvili the bare minimum is enough and the 6-2 6-2 that matures after just over sixty minutes of play is a pretty clear manifesto. Completely different speech for Taylor Fritz, who will need a result similar to the victory at Paris-Bercy to worry Aliassime and the others.
The misstep against Denis Shapovalov, who in the final part of the day remedies a hole in the heart of the second set and closes at 6-1 4-6 6-3, weighs not a little in the marching role.