2023-07-22 21:33:12
Despite Carlos Alcaraz, Spain conceded once morest Croatia their second loss in the Hopman Cup and will not see the final, which the Croats will play this Sunday once morest Switzerland.
Spain no longer had the right to make mistakes. After their defeat once morest Belgium, Carlos Alcaraz and Rebeka Masarova had to win once morest Croatia without missing a single match to reach the Hopman Cup final. However, on the clay court of the Nice Lawn Tennis Club, all did not go well for the Iberian selection. Opposed to Donna Vekic, Rebeka Masarova did not weigh very heavily. Broken from the start by the Croatian, the 72nd player in the world might have started once more in stride but the success was not there. Donna Vekic kept the pressure on her opponent and, following failing to add to the score, it was on the commitment of the Spaniard that she ended the first set.
Staying on her momentum, the 2nd world started the second set with a bang, during which she left only one service game to Rebeka Masarova. The first match point was the right one (6-2, 6-1 in 1h14′) and put an end to the suspense. Indeed, it was for a match without stakes that Carlos Alcaraz entered the court to face Borna Coric. Long hooked at the start of the meeting, the world number 1 was sharp on the first and only break point of the first set in order to take the lead in this meeting. The replica of the 15th in the world was immediate. Indeed, Borna Coric went to take the service of the world number 1, who immediately recovered to return to two games everywhere.
A win for team Croatia!! Donna Vekic once morest Rebeka Masarova 6:2 6:1???????????????? pic.twitter.com/4fCSkvnQlk
— Hopman Cup (@hopmancup) July 22, 2023
Alcaraz n’a pas suffi
The two players neutralized each other until the deciding game. If Carlos Alcaraz had a match point, it was the Croatian who had the last word and took his opponent to the tiebreak match which replaces the third round in this Hopman Cup. Winning five of the first six exchanges, the world number 1 raced in the lead and only needed a match point to equalize with a victory everywhere (6-3, 6-7, 10-5 in 2h03 ‘). For the honor, the victory was played in a mixed doubles that the Spaniards started with a bang. Winning the first two Croatian service games, Rebeka Masarova and Carlos Alcaraz immediately raced ahead and even concluded the first set with a third service game won. Donna Vekic and Borna Coric did not let themselves be counted and responded by breaking the Iberians twice at the start of the second set.
If the Spaniards then erased one of their two late breaks, they might not reduce the gap further. The first set point allowed the Croatian team to snatch a new tiebreak match. The two teams went blow for blow until a first match point for the Spanish team. But, following letting him slip, Rebeka Masarova and Carlos Alcaraz lost their touch. On their fourth match point, Donna Vekic and Borna Coric put an end to the suspense (1-6, 6-4, 14-12). Thanks to this second success in two meetings, Croatia qualify for the final, which will oppose them this Sunday to Switzerland, who also finished the group stage undefeated.
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