Carlos Alcaraz, who impressed in his quarter-final against Zverev, plays Russia's Daniil Medvedev tonight for a 2nd consecutive US Open final. Their last meeting was in the semi-finals at Wimbledon last July, when Carlitos dominated proceedings, winning in 3 straight sets. Physically exhausted, even using an inhaler, Medvedev has been impressive since the start of the tournament in his ability to defend and play well at key moments. He suffers from the difficult conditions in which he plays, notably the humidity, but has managed to qualify thanks in particular to a very good serve and his distinctive, high-performance forehand. While his game may not be as aesthetically pleasing as the experts would have us believe, it is nonetheless precise and efficient. The Russian has also worked on his mental game and has proved his cunning on several occasions. He therefore remains a formidable opponent and is keen to beat the predictions that place the Spaniard as favourite. What's more, it was he who won the US Open in 2021, preventing Serbian Djokovic from achieving the Grand Slam that year. He'll be just as motivated as our Carlitos, who's very comfortable on Arthur Ashe court in his tank top.
Let's hope for a great match and, of course, Vamos Carlitos!
Francis
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