Taylor Fritz did all he could, but it still wasn’t enough to beat Carlos Alcaraz, who recovered after losing the first set to win an epic in three
*Alcaraz 1-1 Fritz The last thing Fritz will want is for Alcraraz to rush through an easy hold and he makes 0-15, then attacks a second serve with a backhand down the line, as we suggested he should, for 0-30. And, though Alcaraz halves his arrears, Faritz runs around his forehand to clout down the line, raising two break points; the first disappears with an overhit forehand, the second with a service winner. Up advantage, though, Alcaraz errs, and this is already ridiculously enjoyable, Fritz taking control of the next rally by landing a forehand on to the baseline and seeing it home with backhands down the line to earn a third break point. And this time he looks ready to take it, racing to net when a drop sits up … but Alcaraz reads him and puts away the volley! The anticipation there was spooky, and there’s something about watching him play that’s almost wrong, stuff that shouldn’t be possible happening with such regularity it feels unreal, or staged. And that’s exactly the next point, a no-look drop, discharged with Fritz expecting a booming cross-court shot, followed up with a perfectly disguised and perfect lob; from there, Alcaraz sees out the hold, and these two games have been of absurdly high standard.
Alcaraz 0-1 Fritz* (denotes server) A forehand clouted wide gives Alcaraz 0-15 … but that’s nothing a service winner can’t solve. At 30-15, though, a tame forehand into the net puts him under immediate pressure … but that’s nothing an ace can’t serve. He quickly makes 40-30, too, but a backhand winner sizzles past him cross, and another netted forehand means Alcaraz has advantage. Fritz looks nervous, reflecting how well he knows he’s playing: this is is his time. He saves break point with a forehand winner, but is soon down advantage again, totally dominated in the next rally. Also again, though, he restores deuce, and this time an ace raises game point … only to be followed by a double. On the one hand, this isn’t the game Fritz had in mind when he opted to serve but, on the other, if he can see out the tension and hold, it’ll fortify him with confidence. Meantime, though, an ace earns another advantage, but again, he can’t see it out; what a start to the match this is. AND HAVE A LOOK! Again up advantage and this tome at the net with a simple putaway there for him, Fritz picks out Alcaraz who hoists a lob, then deals with the tweener sent at him in riposte via volley. That was another terrific exchange, was, restoring deuce, but Fritz again makes his ad, this time punishing down an ace to secure a nine-minute hold. MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE.
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