Singles 2nd Round
Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) def. Matteo Arnaldi (Italy), 7-6(6), 6-1
■ Late in the first set, momentum had begun to swing toward Arnaldi. Alcaraz was broken back after taking a 2-1 lead, disrupting his rhythm. Unforced errors were piling up more than usual, and he was winning just 22 percent of points behind his second serve in the set. He also found himself in deep trouble in the tiebreaker, trailing 2-6. Most fans may have been hoping he could turn things around in the next set. But Alcaraz was looking in a different direction.
■ “I told myself that it wasn’t over yet, and that I hadn’t lost the set until my opponent won the final point,” Alcaraz revealed. It was crucial that he saved the first set point with an error from his opponent. From there, Alcaraz seemed to let go, swinging freely and without the tension that had been evident earlier. The set finally went his way when Arnaldi’s return landed out, giving Alcaraz six straight points and an astonishing comeback in the tiebreak.
■ Alcaraz’s groundstrokes became more solid and penetrative, and this could not simply be attributed to him relaxing. Arnaldi had been handling Alcaraz’s topspin well, waiting for the right moment to counterpunch. Uncomfortable with this, Alcaraz had often tightened up, hitting into the net or sending shots beyond the lines. Perhaps in an effort to avoid Arnaldi’s counterattacks, he had also been using drop shots frequently. But late in the set, Alcaraz found another solution.
■ “I felt that he was returning the ball really well, and I thought I had to change things up,” Alcaraz said. His specific adjustment was to “not use too much spin.” Even if it meant sacrificing a little power and speed, he prioritized consistency and focused first on getting into rallies. Arnaldi could no longer find opportunities to unleash his counterpunches and was forced to take the initiative himself. Even his backhand error on the first set point could be seen as something Alcaraz had drawn out of him. His strategy of “doing the things he doesn’t like” worked to perfection, leading to the dramatic turnaround of six consecutive points in the tiebreak.
■ Alcaraz never gave the momentum back and took the second set in one-sided fashion. “I’m happy I was able to finish it in straight sets. I was also able to save some energy for the next match,” he said calmly afterward. What the No. 1 seed had produced, however, was a remarkable feat: by winning a handful of truly crucial points, he completely turned the match around.
(Japan Tennis Association)
