Beaten by Filip Sebek, Jaime Alcaraz left the court on Sunday afternoon with his head down. A striking contrast the day after his victory in the first round of international qualifying against Erikas Balkunas. And with this elimination, Alcaraz mania ended for Central Tarbes.
“I am happy to see my little brother participating in these competitions, like me at his age. Obviously, I support him every time,” responded Carlos Alcaraz at a press conference at the Australian Open. And seeing the enthusiasm in the stands on Saturday and Sunday noon, it is clear that the former world number 1 is not the only one to appreciate seeing Jaime hit straight shots along the line at the World Cup in Tarbais.
But if you weren't there on Sunday morning at the Central, you missed the last balls hit by Jaime Alcaraz, Carlos' little brother, in singles at the 43rd Mondial des Petits As. Beaten by the number 2 seed of the international qualifications, the young Spaniard, who lacked consistency, left the court with his head down, consoled by Ramon Abenza, his coach. And if he was still the darling of a Central heated by the victory, a few minutes before, of Pierre Oudéa-Castéra, son of the former minister, the Spaniard seemed taken by his emotions.
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Petits As de Tarbes: Jaime Alcaraz, the Iberian show at Les Petits As
No doubt the crowds and the numerous media requests, which he did not want to respond to, weighed in the balance. Jaime probably didn't expect that Balkunas would ask him for a photo at the end of the match and that he would be asked as much after the court as his big brother when leaving Rod Laver Arena. “It’s a way to preserve it,” his mother whispered. A speech that echoes that of his big brother who spoke a few months ago: “I'm a little worried about the people around him during the tournaments, because they're going to go see him because it's my brother and he will probably put pressure on himself.”
-Carlos Alcaraz: “My mother told me he played well”
A real pressure to which Jaime did not seem to find the keys at certain moments of the match. “Yes, there is pressure,” confided his coach after his protégé’s defeat. “But there is not only pressure for him. There is also pressure for his opponents who play with him at the Central in front of full stands. It is a context that must be understood for all players because the Petits As tournament is a prestigious tournament.” Unlike his first round where he was able to remain solid, against the Czech, the Spaniard seemed to falter in heated moments. While leading 5-2 in the first set, the Iberian lost 7-5.
Same observation in the second where he served to lead 4-1. A set this time lost 7-6 after having obtained two set points: one on the service of his opponent at 30-40 (6-5), another in the tie-break (5-4). An inability to conclude on the hot moments that his coach explains by the quality of the level of his opponent. “Filip is much taller than Jaime and that helped him on serves. He also has a big forehand which hurt Jaime. He was not able to increase his level of play on important points and it's a shame because he had the possibility of doing better in this match.” While the path seemed clear for an opposition at the end of the day between Pierre Oudéa-Castéra and Jaime Alcaraz, Filip Sebek decided otherwise.
The fault is on the Czech, but also on the Spaniard who often appeared more annoyed than during his first match against Balkunas and who was not able to reproduce the same quality tennis. “I spoke about his first round with my mother, who accompanied him there. She told me that he played well,” confided the big brother on the other side of the globe. For Ramon Abenza, it's all about rhythm. “The pace was disjointed. The velocity and intensity was not the same as Saturday. Saturday's match was easier because he kept the same pace the whole match. Today the balls were higher and in different rhythms.
And if the Alcaraz effect ended on the Central on Sunday, the young Spaniard will take part in the doubles competition from Monday where he should play on the side courts to perhaps become a young person like any other again.
