Next Gen ATP Finals get underway in Jeddah

ROTTERDAM: Carlos Alcaraz scraped his way into the final of the Rotterdam Open on Saturday with a hard-fought and entertaining three-set win over Hubert Hurkacz.

Superior court coverage and retrieving from the Spanish world No. 3 overcame stubborn resistance from the Pole for a 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 win to set up a clash with Australia’s Alex de Minaur in Sunday’s final.

“It was a very tight first set. I think he had chances to make it 6-0 so I just tried to fight every ball, every point,” said Alcaraz.

“I just tried to stay in there, keep fighting all the time and it paid off,” he added.

Alcaraz got off to a slow start, broken to love in his very first service game and allowing Hurkacz to race into a 3-0 lead in the first set.

He faced another break point in his next service game but saved it with a glorious crosscourt forehand and managed to hold onto serve.

Alcaraz survived another three break points and then fought his way back into the match with a break of his own, seizing the game with a forehand smash after a lengthy rally.

The momentum shifted in the Spaniard’s favor and a double-fault from Hurkacz gave the top seed the opportunity to serve out the set.

Again Hurkacz had the opportunity to break, but Alcaraz held firm and sealed the set with a forehand drive volley winner.

After the topsy-turvy first set, the second proceeded more conventionally, on serve until the tie-break.

The tie-break was also nip and tuck, both players squandering chances to seize the advantage.

But a double-fault from Alcaraz at 5-4 up gave Hurkacz an opportunity, and the Pole needed no second invitation, taking the set as the Spaniard netted a simple backhand groundstroke.

The decisive set started the same way as the first, with an early break of serve — this time to Alcaraz who brought the crowd to its feet.

That eventually proved enough to break the Polish resistance, as Hurkacz failed to make inroads into the Alcaraz serve.

Serving for the set at 5-3, Alcaraz booked his place in his 22nd ATP tour final with a trademark forehand winner up the line.

“I want to be the first Spanish player to be able to win this tournament. I’m going to go for it. I’m really happy to be able to play a final in Rotterdam,” said the 21-year-old.

In Saturday’s first semifinal, De Minaur brought to an end the extraordinary giant-killing run of Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci with a straight-sets win.

De Minaur was too consistent for the error-prone Bellucci, who was unable to repeat his earlier heroics against Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, going down 6-1, 6-2.

“I’m very happy with the level today,” said De Minaur.

“He’s been playing with a lot of confidence this whole week, so I knew it was going to be a very tough battle,” added the third-seeded Australian.

Runner-up last year to world number one Jannik Sinner, De Minaur has enjoyed comfortable passage to the final, winning all his matches in straight sets.

“The Dutch crowd always treats me very well, and I love coming back here. So hopefully I can get a title this time,” he said.

MADRID: Kylian Mbappe secured Real Madrid a 1-1 draw against rivals Atletico Madrid which kept Los Blancos top of La Liga on Saturday.
Julian Alvarez dinked home a controversial first half penalty for Atletico but Mbappe was in the right place at the right time to bundle home early in the second half on his first appearance in the tense derby clash.
Real Madrid lead second-place Atletico by a single point, with Barcelona, third, given the chance to cut the gap on the top two when they face Sevilla on Sunday.
“We have to continue on this path, we’re there in the fight and we will continue there until the end,” Alvarez told Movistar.
“I can’t say I wasn’t a bit nervous (with the penalty), but I was sure, I knew what I would do, and it was a great goal for the team.”
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti opted to deploy his four key attacking players in Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes, in lieu of a more conservative approach.
The star names got stuck in, not always a given in a defensive sense, and the first half was a hard-fought, intense battle with few clear openings for either side.
Vinicius dragged a shot wide midway through the first half when he found a rare sight of goal for the hosts.
Atletico were upset when Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos was only booked for an ugly challenge on Pablo Barrios, but it was the hosts who were left raging when referee Cesar Soto Grado pointed to the penalty spot.
Aurelien Tchouameni, covering at center-back for Madrid with Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao out among others, clumsily trod on Samuel Lino’s foot in the box.
After a VAR review Soto Grado awarded a controversial penalty to Madrid’s frustration, with the incident happening after the ball had run past the duo.
Los Blancos attacked Spanish refereeing earlier in the week after they were upset by a decision in a shock defeat last weekend, bringing heavy scrutiny on the officials ahead of the derby.
Alvarez took the penalty, the first given against Madrid in La Liga this season, and cheekily executed a Panenka down the middle.
“Corruption in the federation,” chanted Real Madrid fans in response, buying into their club’s stance.
Madrid pulled level early in the second half when Rodrygo broke loose on the right of the box and crossed for Bellingham.
The England international’s shot was blocked but Mbappe was on hand to turn home the rebound and score on his first Madrid derby appearance.
Bellingham twice came close to putting Madrid ahead, nodding against the crossbar from Vinicius’ cross and then heading straight at Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak from a similar position, kicking the post in frustration.
Madrid played with far more fluidity in the second half and pegged Atletico back, forcing coach Diego Simeone into some defensive-minded changes, including withdrawing his son Giuliano who had a quiet game on the right wing.
Oblak made a smart save to deny Vinicius after the Brazilian winger burst through the gap between two Atletico defenders and pulled the trigger from a tight angle.
The Slovenian goalkeeper also managed to keep out a dangerous free-kick from Rodrygo which was intended as a cross but almost flew in at the far post.
Oblak made a brave low stop from Mbappe in the 90th minute after Fede Valverde sent the French forward in behind the defense, and the two sides were left with a point apiece.