Pundit identifies turning point in Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner match – ‘It was on Sinner’s racket’
Carlos Alcaraz has been praised for making crucial tactic changes during his match against Jannik Sinner with Laura Robson explaining that one key switch gave him the upper hand against the Italian.
Two-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz was staring down the barrel during his Indian Wells Open semi-final match against Sinner as the Australian Open champion raced into a 6-1 lead as he won four consecutive games courtesy of two breaks of serve after a rain delay.
Alcaraz, though, tweaked things in the second set as he changed his return position and slowed the game down and it soon started to pay off.
The world No 2 made the most of first of his first break point in game four of the second set as he took it to a third set and then broke in games three and five of the decider to wrap up the set.
Sky Sports presenter Laura Robson was impressed with how the 20-year-old changed his tactics.
“It was the way that he changed the match as it went on because it was on Sinner’s racket for the first set and a half and then all of a sudden you felt that Alcaraz started to slow things down,” the former British No 1 told Sky Sports Tennis after the match.
“The forehand changed completely at the height he was getting over the net. Especially on returns. He was slowing the pace down, waiting for his moments and then when he could accelerate he was all over it.”
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Alcaraz – who will face world No 3 Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final – gave a bit of insight in his change of tactics during the Sinner encounter.
“It’s obviously that I change the way of the return. I was more in the back,” he revealed. “I’m putting every return in. I tried to give myself the opportunity to put more rallies, longer rallies, and I think I was able to feeling a little bit better in the second set, just to play longer rallies.
“I felt really good physically, so I think that was a key to change the match a little bit.”
Robson’s fellow Sky Sports commentator Tim Henman waxed lyrical about the 20-year-old Alcaraz.
“Absolutely amazing. It was a privilege to be court side just to see the athletic ability, the ball-striking, the power and the performance from Alcaraz after that first set.
“He’s a phenomenal competitor for someone who’s so young. He’s got a wise head on those young shoulders. He did incredibly well to turn that around in three sets.”
