Carlos Alcaraz, the former world No. 1, overcame illness and a determined Andrey Rublev to secure his first victory at the Nitto ATP Finals on Wednesday. Despite battling chest tightness and breathing issues, Alcaraz displayed resilience and tactical prowess to defeat Rublev 6-3, 7-6 (8) in one hour and 35 minutes.
Alcaraz, who had lost his opening match to Casper Ruud, admitted to being surprised by his performance. “I was really calm and focused on my game,” he said. “I tried to forget about my illness and execute my tactics effectively.”
Rublev, the No. 8 seed, struggled to match Alcaraz’s intensity and made several unforced errors. The Spaniard broke Rublev’s serve twice in the first set and held his own serve comfortably.
The second set was a closer affair, with both players holding serve until the tiebreaker. Alcaraz seized the initiative early on, but Rublev fought back to level the score at 4-4. However, Alcaraz’s defense-to-offense transitions proved too strong for Rublev, and he eventually sealed the victory with a forehand winner.
Alcaraz’s victory keeps his hopes of reaching the semifinals alive. He will face No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev in his final round-robin match, with the winner advancing to the last four.
Despite his recent struggles, Alcaraz remains a formidable opponent. His ability to adapt his game and overcome adversity is a testament to his talent and determination. With his illness seemingly behind him, Alcaraz will be confident of making a deep run in Turin.
