Nitto ATP Finals
Alcaraz appears to serve up bother for Zverev
Spaniard is bettering in well being and on his first supply
November 14, 2024
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz will face Alexander Zverev on Friday on the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.
By Rafael Plaza
On Thursday morning, Carlos Alcaraz turned up on the apply courtroom in Turin’s Inalpi Area with out the nostril strip he wore to assist together with his inhaling his second match on the Nitto ATP Finals, wherein he defeated Andrey Rublev.
This was the primary signal that the Spaniard, who has been feeling beneath the climate for a couple of days, is lastly on the mend. On Friday he should get previous Alexander Zverev and hope for a beneficial end result within the different match (Casper Ruud vs. Rublev) if he’s to succeed in the match’s semi-finals.
On the finish of his apply session, which he shared with Andres Martin, one of many match’s sparring companions, Alcaraz stayed behind with Juan Carlos Ferrero to work on his serve, aiming at cones positioned on the courtroom to enhance his accuracy and pace.
The aim was clear: to proceed ramping up the facility of a supply that proved decisive when it got here to sinking Rublev. In his second conflict in Turin, Alcaraz unleashed 10 aces, gained 84% of factors performed on his first serve and confronted no break factors. These numbers paved the way in which for his first win within the John Newcombe Group.
Towards Zverev, one of many largest servers on the ATP Tour, the Spaniard is aware of he’ll face an uphill battle on Turin’s indoor quick courtroom if he doesn’t deliver his greatest serve with him. Though the document between the 2 gamers is tied (5-5 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head), the Spaniard has had his manner with the No. 2 within the PIF ATP Rankings the final two occasions they crossed paths this season, within the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Roland Garros ultimate.
The serve has been a key a part of Alcaraz’s arsenal in 2024; the Murcia native has landed 245 aces, put the ball in play with 65 per cent of his first serves, factors of which he gained 73 per cent, and saved 62 per cent of the break factors he has confronted.