In the Philippe Chatrier the wind blows and eddies are formed that twist the game, make it rare. The clay sneaks into the eyes of the tennis players, whose vision is blurred.
Some, all that is fatal.
That they ask Daniil Medvedev, the illustrious candidate dismounted the day before, surprised by the surprising Thiago Seyboth Wild.
Before the press, at twilight on Tuesday, the Russian said:
–When the clay season ends I am happy. I don't like to eat sand. Perhaps some of you like to have dirt in your bags, in your sneakers, in your white socks that you have to throw away later. I am happy when this phase ends.
On Wednesday, the wind continues to blow in Paris.
At some point in his match, Carlos Alcaraz (20) raised the bottom of his shirt to his eyes. He had gotten sand in it, it was sticking to his eyelids. Circumstances had caused Alcaraz-Taro Daniel in the second round, apparently asymmetrical and highly favored by the Murcian side, to enter a strange phase.
With barely a ruffle, as had happened on Monday at Alcaraz-Cobolli, the Murcian had won the first round and seemed to be riding over Paris.
Alcaraz had been fire. He likes to start big, overwhelm the rival, take over the stage and the game.
He had moved Taro Daniel, a fan running from one side of the track to the other, lateral runs finished off with an impossible run forward, desperate acceleration in search of another drop shot from Alcaraz.
6-1 in the first set.
The Japanese (30 years old, currently 112th in the world) seemed to suffer from stage fright. Taro Daniel had shrunk, he had been feeling the weight of Alcaraz, whose right hand fell to lead.
However, then the duel had given birth to a confusing phase. Alcaraz suffered a drop in tension, the Japanese entered the game, perhaps having seen himself lost, and then he had released his arm.
And just as Alcaraz's service broke, he had scored his sleeve.
–It was very hard to play with this wind –Alcaraz will confess later.
At the foot of the track, he would say it to Àlex Corretja, a colorful conversation between the two in English.
Before the talk, the Murcian had had to recover. Settle down in the thinking corner, recover your tools and redirect the game.
What was to come was going to be a storm, a storm over Taro Daniel, who was already disappearing from the game, neither winds nor confusion, Alcaraz in his pure state handling all the keys, the serves to the T, or angled, the drop shots and the volleys , a step forward through two flawless sets.
On Friday, in the third round, Alcaraz faces Denis Shapovalov, and a really uncomfortable adversary.
