And he’s shy, he says. At ten at night, Carlos Alcaraz dedicates a few words in Italian to the 13,000 attendees of the night, who are left wanting more. Beautiful, but brief. The second semi-final lasted not even an hour and a half (6-2 and 6-4, after 1h 22m) and the Masters Cup presents the desired and expected line-up. It will be him and Jannik Sinner, of course. Pure logic. Any other outcome would have been a major surprise. Both have dispatched the duels like someone brushing off a fly and will meet again this Sunday (6:00 p.m., Movistar+) in the last episode of the year, before the blinds close definitively next week at the Davis in Bologna.
“I am very happy for today’s match“, jokes Alcaraz after having surrendered to Felix Auger-Aliassime, who proposed good arguments beforehand but once again, they are of little use. The Spaniard, happy, surpasses him with a stupendous performance, sealed with only 10 unforced errors and the same air of reconciliation with the ball that his racket transmitted two days before, against Lorenzo Musetti. For the first time, the one from El Palmar will play the master final and he will do so against the dominator of the format, Sinner. Supported by an exceptional streak, those 30 indoor victories, the one from San Candido will try to make this theoretical (and practical) superiority in the habitat subdue the numbers.
You know, Alcaraz gives him rashes. In total, fifteen matches – 10-5 favorable to the host these days -, seven of them in finals – 5-2 for him too – and five crosses this season (4-1) in which everything else seems to have been reduced to mere props. The two sail alone and also monopolize this chapter of uncertain prognosis, because in light of the figures the Murcian proposes that intimidating capacity over his adversary. They had not seen each other since the US Open, when the second analyzed and extracted: “I have to make changes.” Two months later, the Inalpi Arena will rule to what extent the effect of those touch-ups reaches and whether Alcaraz’s gold continues to be as dazzling. A Canadian is blinded.
Difficult to decipher, Auger-Aliassime. He has the physique and the blows, but he lacks all the confidence that Alcaraz exudes, who hydrates and approves: indeed, this is going very well. He has resolved the first set without the need to step on the accelerator and it does not seem that the Canadian is going to get up, that he will rebel, that he will go against that permanent destiny of all those who face each other. They are practically defeated. Alex de Minaur fought a little more in the first crossing, but the Australian ended up losing hopelessly and, then, the North American’s spirit barely lasted 37 minutes. And it could have been less. He falls breakthe story is over.
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From the beginning, emergencies for him, cornered, anguished, without a clear pattern with which he can harm or minimally destabilize Alcaraz, who gives more and more rhythm to the story and closes it with clarity. A semi-final to ask for. Today, there are two or three abysses between them and the rest, very far from the quality, commitment and spirit of two feverish competitors who, in addition to being very good, stood up to the best without any fear: here we are. It’s that or nothing. His determination contrasts with the dalliances of others, and in that field of doubt a promise called Auger-Aliassime has been evaporating.
It is the eighth in the world and on Monday it will rise to fifth place, which translates into how cheap access to the main floor is today. And not because he is not a magnificent player, which he is, but because competing—in the strict sense imposed by the abrasive tennis elite—requires much more. Whoever doubts or looks to the side falls. Alcaraz and Sinner don’t wait for anyone. They are both on rockets and the others are on the backs of snails, in mental terms. They both require a physical, technical and tactical effort so continuous and so corrosive that the rivals end up breaking down. The story has become predictable. Wherever it is, the same (and blessed) final poster. Rare if it doesn’t happen.
Barring an accident, the present seems destined to offer a duopoly that dominates, harasses and imposes. How they want, when they want. A kind of after-dinner movie in which we know more or less how it will end, with the only unknown being whether it will fall one way or the other. Sinner landed in the tournament after a walk through Paris and Alcaraz has been filled with victories; eight trophies and two finals for him. Auger-Aliassime tries it in the second set, but it is basically a matter of checking if the Spaniard will not get tangled. He did it recently in La Défense, so maybe therethe person opposite may think. No slip this time, so again, final fireworks. Brooch according to the year.
The Italian defeated him first in Australia, the Murcian reacted in a big way at Roland Garros and then came the English response; from there to New York, response there from the now number one, and later a beautiful tug of war between Asia and the European ceiling. With the world throne already decanted in favor of Alcaraz, Turin will decide this Sunday who finally smiles in individual terms. Fantastic give and take and a circuit completely divided in two: that unreachable attic in which they live and the mundane territory from which the rest of the players cannot raise their heads. Crumbs, a little more. Draper, Mensik, Shelton, Vacherot took advantage of absences or specific vicissitudes.
The rest, the happy journey of the two wonders.
Carlos Alcaraz
vs
Very happy Auger
Sets:
