Finale. Alcaraz shines on the comeback
Tennis high-flyer Carlos Alcaraz has reached another final on his comeback on the ATP Tour. Check out the sports betting odds for his next tournaments and other tennis events.
After a three-and-a-half-month injury layoff, the 19-year-old defeated fellow Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-2, 6-2 in 77 minutes in the semifinals of the clay-court tournament in Buenos Aires. The world number two will face Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the final, who had earlier beaten Peru’s Juan Pablo Varillas 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.
“Coming straight back to the final on my return is very special for me,” said top seed Alcaraz after his match, looking back on his time of suffering, “I was a bit down after the injury. I had to find my confidence and rhythm again during that time.”
Alcaraz enters the final as the favorite. He leads 3:1 in the direct duel with the 27-year-old Norrie, and it would be his seventh win on the ATP Tour. “It will be a tough match against him, but also a very nice one,” Alcaraz said.
Next defeat for Zverev
Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev continues to search for his old class after his serious ankle injury last June.
The former world number two from Hamburg lost 6:4, 3:6, 4:6 to Dutch local hero Tallon Griekspoor in the round of 16 at the ATP tournament in Rotterdam. It was Zverev’s fifth loss in his seventh match of the year.
Zverev controlled the first set without shining. Griekspoor turned up the heat after that, however, and Zverev began to experience neck problems that prompted the world No. 17 to seek treatment at 1:4 in the second set.
In the deciding set, Zverev double-faulted to give up his serve for a 3:4 lead and was unable to find his way back against the now very determined world number 61.
Otte drops out
Tennis player Oscar Otte was eliminated in the first round of the ATP tournament in Delray Beach.
The Cologne native lost to fifth-seeded Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka 3:6, 6:0, 4:6 on Tuesday night, his fourth defeat on tour this year.
In addition to Otte, Davis Cup teammate Daniel Altmaier will also be playing in the hard-court tournament in Florida, which is endowed with almost 720,000 US dollars (671,000 euros).
The player from Kempen will battle it out against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino during the day for a place in the round of 16.
