Carlos Alcaraz beats Andrey Rublev for first win in Turin

Carlos Alcaraz skillfully triumphed over Andrey Rublev, rekindling hope of a semi-final finish in his inaugural ATP Finals outing. The match against Rublev turned particularly intense when the Russian landed such a forceful strike on himself with his racquet, that he drew blood.

Having previously fallen to Alexander Zverev in the Red Group’s inauguration, Wimbledon champion Alcaraz rebounded with a 7-5 6-2 win over Rublev in Turin, Italy.

It marked a second consecutive loss for Rublev, who was already defeated by Daniil Medvedev earlier. Consequently, Rublev’s chances of advancing to the last four are now nil.

Zverev is set to face Medvedev later in the day as part of the Wednesday’s action at the prestigious event. This event also features a doubles matchup between Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram – who are the defending champions – versus Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof at 17:30 GMT.

Alcaraz’s Persistence

Alcaraz, age 20, missed the previous year’s tournament due to an abdominal injury. He was now making his first appearance at the season-ending men’s event for the top eight players globally.

After grappling with foot and back problems last month, Alcaraz made a return from injury at the Paris Masters but suffered a loss. Following a shaky start in his opener, Alcaraz displayed an evident determination to emerge victoriously against an opponent who is known for succumbing to emotions during significant matches.

Alcaraz slyly clinched the key breakthrough against Rublev in the 11th game, securing the set with a powerful serve. On the other hand, fifth seed Rublev succumbed to immense frustration, evident in his aggressive racquet smash on the court, resulting in self-inflicted bloodshed from above his knee and a subsequent struggle with emotions.

“It was a totally different match and level from me [compared to Monday],” Alcaraz expressed. “This is the level I have to play if I want to give myself a chance in this amazing tournament.”

Alcaraz’s next challenge would be against 2020 champion Medvedev in his final round-robin match on Friday, and the Russian could solidify a spot in the semi-finals that same Wednesday. The ATP Finals, featuring eight of the year’s best players, will see the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

World number one Novak Djokovic is the defending champion but suffered a setback earlier in the tournament when he was defeated by Italian Jannik Sinner.