Carlos Alcaraz shook off illness to deliver an impressive win over Andrey Rublev.
The Spaniard kept his ATP Finals hopes alive with a 6-3, 7-6 (10-8) victory in Turin on Wednesday.
The four-time Grand Slam champion had struggled with respiratory and stomach issues earlier in the week, which contributed to his opening loss to Casper Ruud on Monday.
However, Carlos Alcaraz, aiming for his first season-ending Finals title, appeared much sharper against Andrey Rublev, handing the Russian his second straight loss of the tournament.
This defeat extends the Russian’s streak to six consecutive straight-set losses at the ATP Finals since his semi-final run in 2022.
Carlos Alcaraz insists he wants to entertain Turin crowd
Alcaraz stepped onto court with a renewed determination to impress after a rocky start to his ATP Finals campaign.
Having stumbled and sniffled his way through an opening-round loss, Alcaraz looked more energized in his second match against Rublev.
Despite still not feeling at his best, the third seed showed resilience, focusing on delivering high-quality tennis for the fans.
Reflecting on his effort, he shared his mindset going into the match, saying on court: “I could be better. I’ve been struggling with my health the last week. Today I thought I was going to feel better. I was ok enough to play, but I’m thinking about how in the first match I was thinking a lot how I was sick and couldn’t play.
“Today I really wanted to step on the court and just show good tennis and play a high level. Try to show the people a good time to try to make them happy.
“When I got off the court from the first match I felt like I didn’t entertain the people or play good tennis,” he explained. “I tried to do it today and I think I played really good tennis.”
Carlos Alcaraz needs to be perfect if he is to advance in Turin
Alcaraz faces a must-win match against Alexander Zverev to keep his ATP Finals hopes alive.
Zverev arrives in Turin in top form, coming off a Paris Masters title and a recent victory over Rublev, which propelled him to the world number two ranking, overtaking Alcaraz.
For the Spaniard, the match is crucial as he looks to end his season on a high note after a challenging few months, including a loss in the Olympic final and limited success since his Wimbledon victory.
With the pressure on, Alcaraz will need a flawless performance to overcome the in-form German.
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