:strip_icc()/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_bc8228b6673f488aa253bbcb03c80ec5/internal_photos/bs/2022/3/A/bOpP4aTWuZA9UyicL1fQ/fn10av4xmaidqus.jpg "Nadal wins Spanish duel against Alcaraz and will face Fritz in the final in Indian Wells | sneakers")
“I am you tomorrow” is what the tennis world is used to saying when citing the similarities between Carlos Alcaraz, 18, and Rafael Nadal, 35. This Saturday, the two Spaniards faced each other in a great game in the semifinals of the Masters 1,000 from Indian Wells. And once again it was the experience that spoke the loudest. Nadal defeated his compatriot by 2 sets to 1 (6/4, 4/6 and 6/3), on Saturday night.
–
In search of the fourth championship, Nadal will face this Sunday (19h) in the big decision the American Taylor Fritz, who defeated the Russian Andrey Rublev by 2 sets to 0, 7/5 and 6/4. Fritz will be the first local tennis player to make a final since John Isner, in 2012. The last American champion of the event was André Agassi, in 2001, in a final against Pete Sampras.
–
This was the second match between Nadal and Carlos. Last year, at the Masters 1000 in Madrid, Nadal won in straight sets, with partials of 6/1 and 6/2. The two arrived at this Saturday’s match with similar performance in the year. The former world number 1, unbeaten, with 19 wins in 19 games – and three titles, including the Australian Open, which left him ahead of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in Grand Slam victories (21 to 20 for the Serbian and Swiss). Alcaraz, cradled by the Rio Open trophy, had 12 wins and one loss for the season.
–
Ahead of Saturday’s game, Nadal said Alcaraz has all the ingredients and “the passion” for tennis. The owner of 21 Grand Slams also stated that the young Spaniard remembers himself, Nadal, when he was 17, 18 years old. Alcaraz recalled the only match against his idol: “He destroyed me, but now I’m more mature”. The anticipation for the game took over Spain – the match ended up on the cover of the sports newspaper Marca with “The king against the prince” headlined.
–
–
Cover of the newspaper Marca — Photo: Reproduction/Marca
– –
The aggressiveness from the first point showed the posture that Alcaraz would adopt to try to overcome his great idol. With a crossed backhand, the young tennis player opened the match by breaking Nadal’s serve. After saving 5 break points in the second game – which lasted 12min -, Alcaraz confirmed his service and made it 2 to 0. But the three-time champion of the tournament recovered in the following games and got the comeback (3/2), with the tennis player from 18 years old making a lot of unforced mistakes (12 to 4).
–
With a winner on the line on the return of the serve, Nadal broke Alcaraz’s service, but got payback in the next game. Carlos even left everything the same (4/4), but ended up losing the set on his serve, with an unforced error after saving 3 set points (6/4).
–
The strong wind that entered the second set made the game more unpredictable, causing the game to stop several times with objects falling on the court. The discomfort to confirm the service was visible, with the two tennis players aborting services several times due to the strong gusts, causing 5 breaks in a row on the set. After a 20-minute game, Alcaraz broke Nadal’s serve with a beautiful lob and then played hard to close the second set at 6/4.
–
Despite the wind, the technical level of the third set was the best of the entire match. More adapted to the conditions, the tennis players started to make fewer mistakes, generating beautiful exchanges and equality without breaks until 3/3. When the match completed 3 hours long, came one of the most beautiful moments of the game, with Nadal getting two shots in the net to save his serve, raising the audience in the arena in Tucson. Rafa finally reached the break in the 8th game and then took advantage of the great moment in the game to close the match with a 6/3.
– –
