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Alcaraz Shows Improvement Against Rublev in Turin

The reigning champions of both the French Open and Wimbledon, Carlos Alcaraz, faced an unexpected setback in his opening match in Turin, losing to Norwegian player Casper Ruud. However, during his next match against Russian Andrey Rublev, Alcaraz demonstrated a noticeable improvement in his game.

Alcaraz, who had applied a chest rub during his previous match, displayed enhanced mobility and sharper movement as he took to the court against Rublev. He made a pivotal move in the opening set, coming back from a 40-15 disadvantage to break Rublev’s serve and gain a 4-3 lead. This turning point occurred after Rublev made an error on a relatively simple forehand shot at deuce, allowing Alcaraz to capitalize effectively.

Rublev, the eighth seed, had initially held a 30-0 lead in his following service game but faltered, allowing Alcaraz to take the first set. Despite Rublev’s efforts, including pushing the match into a tie-break in the second set, Alcaraz maintained his composure. An early break for Alcaraz set the tone, and although he faced a brief challenge and had to fend off two set points, he ultimately secured the victory.

With this win, Alcaraz prepares to take on Alexander Zverev on Friday for his final contest in the round-robin stage. Zverev, the second seed, is scheduled to compete against Ruud later on Wednesday. A win for Ruud would see him become the first player to advance to the semi-finals.

Source
www.bbc.com