Javier Martínez

Updated Sunday, March 10, 2024-22:37

There was a time not too long ago when

Felix Auger-Aliassime

was a serious rival, a promising young man with notable projection on the circuit.

In fact, he is one of the few players who still maintains a favorable balance in the face to face with

Carlos Alcaraz

, whom he had defeated in three of their four confrontations, although the penultimate of them fell into the hands of the Spaniard, a year ago. year, in the quarterfinals of the tournament in question, on the way to the title.

Today, the still young Canadian tennis player, who reached the

top 6

and played in the semifinals of the United States Open, has fallen to 31st place after losing a lot of prominence.

The physical problems and the weakness of a backhand that does not respond to his potential stopped the momentum that he took in the fall of 2022, when he chained a streak of 16 victories and three consecutive titles, in Florence, Antwerp and Basel.

This Sunday's duel in the third round of Indian Wells captured the difference that now exists between one and the other.

Alcaraz, who is seeking to stabilize after the ankle injury that forced him to retire on February 20 in Rio de Janeiro after having lost against

Nicolás Jarry

in the Buenos Aires semifinals, took little time to take command and won 6- 2 and 6-3, in one hour and 18 minutes.

He took off with a first break in the fifth game, which he would repeat in the seventh to close with his serve a clear set, in which Auger-Aliassime reproduced his almost endemic problems: two double faults (five in total), serious problems to compete with second serves, backhand drama and an obvious confidence deficit.

Nothing changed then.

Another

early

break sent Alcaraz into the round of 16, where Hungarian

Fabian Marozsan

awaits him .

Curiously, this 24-year-old giant beat him in the last Masters 1000 in Rome, a confrontation that, however, should not be taken too much into account given that Alcaraz had already guaranteed himself to rescue the world number 1 in the Foro Italico and managed his forces for Roland Garros.

After losing a set in his debut against

Matteo Arnaldi

, Alcaraz improved his performance with a serious and fluid game, which made it easy for him to even have some joy at the net and find that point of delight that his own tennis DNA demands with his signature trademarks. .