There is turmoil, but in perspective, it is all good news. Broadly speaking, no one would say that Carlos Alcaraz has remained away from the circuit for four and a half months, with the world of tennis in suspense because it was unknown how that wrist and that body would react, and above all that mind deceived by fears. The Murcian says that they are there, knocking on his door, but that he does not allow them to get into his head and that he trusts them. How not to do it? Three games were enough to incorporate some basic elements: rhythm, confidence, punch. He beats Yibing Wu 6-3, 6-4 and 6-1 (in 2h 20m) and now faces the round of 16 of the great New Yorker, in which he will meet on Sunday with an old acquaintance, the American Tommy Paul (6-4, 3-6, 6-7(4), 6-1 and 6-3 against Alexander Bublik). It will be a more reliable test.
It hasn't been easy this time, even though the scoreboard reflects a certain slack. But there it is. As if nothing had happened, Synthesize and appreciate the winner. It can be improved, of course, but keep going. "There has been a very high rhythm. The way he plays is incredible, the rhythm he has... Every shot, forehand, backhand. His ball slips a lot and it is not easy for me to control it," he describes. "But I stayed there. I played aggressive, I played smart and, in the most difficult moments, I knew how to respond. I missed a couple of forehands that I'm not very happy with, but I did what the match required."
At first glance, it does not seem that Wu is a very serious threat to him, but in these times of return, readaptation and still many things to check, Alcaraz is forced to travel down paths that in other circumstances he should not explore. For example, the ups and downs of the second set, up to which everything was going wonderfully: clean and overflowing forehands in front of a refugee all the time in the background, who never really took a step forward. The Chinese repels more than he attacks and he takes advantage of the situation to sharpen his drive and continue getting in the mood. Until then, everything perfect. More or less harmony. An Alcaraz more or less similar to the usual one. Later, however, the logical difficulties of this curvilinear process begin.
"Nooooooooo! Damn! I can't be playing like this...!" That is to say, Alcaraz is not happy. For just over half an hour he has a hard time recognizing himself. In reality, nothing that he and his team did not imagine in the roadmap for the return, but that does not make it difficult for the Murcian to accept the ruling. Normal. His serve begins to crack and Wu, who until then had not bared his fangs, finds doors through which to temporarily get into the match. The Chinese (26 years old and 113º) had previously gotten angry with a couple of people who had sat in his box – “is not your seat, men!
Alcaraz goes to his box and complains about the court: "It bounces badly! It's crazy!" And meanwhile, the scoreboard comes and goes. Tugging duel. Ugly. From the good inertia of the first round and the 2-0 favorable to him, he went to 2-3 against him and the rival putting pressure on him, with several breaking balls that if confirmed would have tilted the field. Things don't end up working out for him. There are even strange errors, at other times surely unthinkable. Alcaraz throwing a drop shot that doesn't even reach the net? That's how it is. Alcaraz sending a straight forehand into the hallway, by a couple of inches, when he could close the second set? Indeed. Moments that torment the tennis player, but that inevitably had to come and that he must digest.
Fortunately, Wu does not attack with the determination of Bu, Rafa Jódar's executioner on Wednesday, and although the one from El Palmar navigates through some insecurities, he knows how to overcome and resolve. In that sense, things do not seem to have changed much compared to January. Even so, he snorts and emits an angry cry: Ufff! Yessss! Meanwhile, his father Carlos, always a calm man, puts himself in tennis mode and puts his left finger to his temple when his son goes to the chair to rest, clarify his ideas and reduce his excitement: calm down, Carlitos, calm down. He is still hot, upset, but the script begins to resemble the first act much more than the passage of frustrations.
