Updates from Thursday’s tennis action in Turin
Alcaraz 3-3 Musetti* Offered a slow second serve, Alcaraz spanks his backhand return just long – that’s a wasted opportunity. Musetti, though, learns his lesson, upping the pace next time he has to deliver a second time – the ball doesn’t come back, and the game is quickly secured. So far, though Alcaraz is the more threatening player, this is a pretty even contest.
*Alcaraz 3-2 Musetti A much better drop makes Alcaraz 30-0 and an overhead raises game point – Musetti is struggling to penetrate, and when a forehand spins long, the hold is in the books. So far, the world no 1 has only dropped two points on serve.
Alcaraz 2-2 Musetti* A squash shot drops just wide, giving Alcaraz 0-15, but a return thrashed long levels the game. And have a look! Stetching to block back a forehand return, he stops in the rally, then clouts a forehand winner cross-court; Musetti quickly responds for 30-all. Then off they go again, thwacking from the back, until Alcaraz tries a drop, but it bounces pretty high, it’s retrieved, and the resulting lob drop long. But Musetti can’t close it out, an error taking us to deuce, and the first pressure-point of the evening; an ace down the T relaxes things, and another decent delivery is returned into the net, securing a massive hold.
