Alcaraz and his 'lapse' in the second set: "He started playing as if he were No. 1"

Streaming W50 Palma del Rio live tennis

🎾 Eva Vedder vs Elena Micic

1. Sign up with Bet365 here
2. Make your first deposit of at least €5
3. Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

 PUBLICIDAD

Register at bet365, deposit €5 or more into your account and you will receive 100% of your eligible deposit in Bet Credits (up to €100). New customers only. Terms apply. Winnings do not include the value of Bet Credits. Maximum prizes, game restrictions, time limits and terms apply. Registration required.

Whether we had conducted a survey yesterday or today, even if we had done it this afternoon after the first set, very few would have bet on seeing Luca Nardi giving Carlos Alcaraz a tough time. Surely more than one changed their opinion a few hours ago witnessing how the Italian staged an impossible comeback in the second set to force the match into the deciding set. The impossible became reality, although in the end, the Spaniard managed to steer the match back in his favor to secure the victory and extinguish the fire immediately. The question is, what happened when he was leading 6-1 and 4-1 in the score? What caused that disconnection? And above all, what did he do to regain control? All of this was answered in the Tennis TV interview minutes after the victory.

“I think I was playing a good game at that moment until suddenly he started playing at a higher level than he had shown in the match so far. The score was 4-1 and 40-40, and we played a couple of good exchanges, but Luca started playing as if he were the world No. 1 (laughs). Honestly, at that moment, I felt like I couldn't do anything, so I tried to stay in the fight as much as I could, to stay strong mentally for whatever might come,” declared the world No. 3 now with tranquility in his body.

“Luca started playing a great level of tennis, and I admit that I lowered the intensity a bit on my part, although he deserves all the credit for those moments. I lost a set that I was winning 4-1, but I'm happy to have left that behind in the third. From the very first point of the third set, I had a new mentality, ready to start from scratch,” reaffirmed Alcaraz, who is currently on a seven-match winning streak after clinching the Rotterdam ATP 500 a few days ago.

THE POSITIVES OF A COMEBACK

Experts say that to win a title, an essential element is having been on the brink of losing it during the week. In this case, it might be going too far, but we can talk about the first moment of suspense on Carlos Alcaraz's journey in the 2025 Doha tournament. That minute of difficulty where you see your opponent starting to turn the tables and the end of the story no longer completely depends on you. Luckily, the El Palmar native is a master of reaction, so this small bump will serve him in future challenges as a close example of how to escape the flames. This is how danger turns into an opportunity.

“Beyond the level of tennis I could show in the third set, which is always important and must be there, I would highlight the mental level I displayed,” replied Carlitos with pride. “I think I was very strong mentally, knowing the situation I was in at all times and giving my absolute best. The key in the third set was to regain the good sensations, to have that positive energy when competing, and of course, to bring out a good level of tennis. But yes, if I have to focus on one aspect, what I'm proudest of in that last set is how I increased my energy level when I needed it the most,” concluded the man who will now face Jiri Lehecka in the quarterfinals.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz y su ‘lapsus’ del segundo set: “Él empezó a jugar como si fuera el Nº1”