Alcaraz dominates Aliasime and faces Sinner in first Masters Cup final

Alcaraz had to leave without thinking about the final, just as he had played in the group stage without thinking too much about first place. This was because the suffering he had suffered in the duel with Fritz began to cross his mind. He had to go into the match with the clear idea that Aliassime would fight him on every point, from serve to backhand. Because the Canadian is uncomfortable, blue, and has forgotten the physical discomfort of dueling Shinar. He has 52 wins on this fast indoor track, with seven of his eight titles coming in these conditions.

This is how the Canadian reminded him of taking time away from Alcaraz and creating a parallel return that took away the first points of the match. Claiming a forehand, a serve and another serve, the Murcian replied that he wanted to win from the start and was ready to take on the necessary fight. There is nothing in his head except to outdo Aliassime with a winning pass from the right and from the left, a parallel backhand at 134 km/h, and another winning forehand that includes a jump to find the first three breaking balls.

Alcaraz didn’t wait, didn’t hesitate, didn’t give up, stepped on the gas to surprise the Canadian’s composure with his speed, raised three options, defended with a great forehand, stood still and caught the first turn of play after a seven-minute struggle from his rival with a dominant serve. It goes like this. They both know it.

They have been appointed seven times in the past to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the reversal, and tactics have been measured and studied. Thanks to him, everything goes faster. The serve also works well, as does the forehand that crosses to speed up the point and the game. Like that return to his feet, like that right hand that left Aliassime unresponsive, like that left hand that soothed him and made him sign, the highlight of the day, trying to do what he couldn’t do in the first game: break on the scoreboard and in the dynamics. It’s just 3 wins and 1 loss, but everything is tilting in his favor. Through speed, strength, attack, belief, and pressure.

A lot of adrenaline is spent on volleys, but he’s number one and you’re there to find solutions with breaking balls against him. Everything, everything, everything happens through him, whether he attacks with all his might, when he defends with all his might against pressure and desperation, or when his rival puts his hand on his hip just because the point was his and ends up not being his. El Alcaraz turned into a cat and had very fast reflexes, very active legs, hands, and ideas. This is someone who turns the Canadian into a shadow of someone who could be intimidating in terms of numbers.

There is no trace of a threat derived from his statistics as he allows himself to be dragged into further accumulation of errors forced by this steamroller from Murcia. I previously saw how Sinner hung on in the first set and dominated in the second against Alex de Minaur, and that’s what he’s been doing all week. Alcaraz doesn’t want to hold back every possible winner.

Aliasime has good first serve probability, but that is of little use in the face of the Murcian’s forehand. He hit clean, powerful balls and was relentless, committing only two unforced errors in the first set. Or because he fearlessly executed his backhand, making zero errors in a set that lasted 37 minutes and failing to convert his first break option in the second game.

In the second chapter, Aliassime stands up. He also wants to talk because he wasn’t allowed for the first 30 minutes. He tries to impose his style, his slow rhymes, his slow gait, but he deals a fatal blow. He puts pressure on the rest of the team and defends well against the attacks of the Spaniards, but the Spaniards could not stay like this for long, so they started to drop a little level. The Murcian was to blame for some haste and a few mistakes, but it allowed the Canadian to catch his breath and remain calm, even clenching his fists and shouting when the score was tied at three. Even a draw against Alcaraz looks like a victory.

Because even though Alcaraz seems to be slowing down, he has a thousand plans even if he doesn’t get the first shot. No one can or knows how to play a little slower and to the point. He doesn’t care how. He doesn’t want to think about the final, but that’s the goal. Someone who takes shots as soon as they leave a somewhat cloudy game. Returning to attack, he crossed the court with a cross to the right and also crossed to make it 5-4. And he doesn’t stop, he wants to rest, he wants to celebrate his first final at the ATP Finals, the real match is on Sunday.

This was his first match at the ATP Finals, where he had not been doing well so far. They will not be able to participate in 2022, will be in the semifinals in 2023, and will be eliminated in the group stage in 2024. Finalist in 2025.