The Alcaraz-Sinner rematch in Beijing was expected, but it will not take place in Shanghai. If the Italian did more than the job this Thursday by soundly beating Daniil Medvedev (6-1, 6-4), Carlos Alcaraz did not hold his place against the sensation Tomas Machac, 33rd in the world. The latter created a surprise in two tight sets (7-6, 7-5) in just under two hours of play (1h55 exactly) in the quarter-final of the Chinese Masters 1000. It is therefore the Czech who will challenge the world number 1 on Saturday in the last four.
The scenario seemed written in advance, the reunion planned. But in tennis, as in sport in general, there is always an element of uncertainty, and Tomas Machac reminded circuit observers of this this Thursday. Lately, Carlos Alcaraz has seemed irresistible, but his tennis, as flamboyant as it is risky, probably exposes him more than that of Jannik Sinner and he has had the bitter experience of it.
Machac took Alcaraz at his own game
At his best, the Spaniard obviously had the keys. But he failed and above all in key moments. “Carlitos” only converted one of his 8 break points. He was the only one to create chances on the restart in the first act, but he was punished in the tie-break for not being able to seize them. However, it would be a caricature not to emphasize the quality of Machac’s performance. The Czech decided to be more aggressive than Alcaraz, to take on his own game, and he was rewarded for it, hitting both more winners and unforced errors than his opponent.
When Alcaraz finally managed to seize Machac’s serve to break in the second act (from 7-6, 3-1 to 7-6, 3-3), the tide seemed to have turned. And yet, he never knew how to ride this dynamic, pushed into error again by his opponent with 5 games all. Like a symbol, a conqueror, the Czech came to seek his prestigious victory at the net. After beating Novak Djokovic in Geneva earlier this season, he has Alcaraz on his radar. Even if it doesn’t sound like him, Jannik Sinner has no interest in taking it lightly.
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