Carlos Alcaraz also stumbles in the Umag final

The Spaniard, who lost last week in Hamburg, falls to Sinner in defense of the Croatian title

MADRID, 31 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz lost in three sets (6-7(5), 6-1 6-1) against the Italian Jannik Sinner this Sunday in the final of the Umag tournament (Croatia), where he won his first title last year , giving up his second straight final in a week.

The Murcian found a wall in a Sinner that already got him down in the round of 16 at Wimbledon at the beginning of July. The Italian, another with a promising future, signed the sixth title of his record, the same ones that the Spanish were looking for, with an imperial reaction.

Juan Carlos Ferrero's pupil remained upset in his chair, with a lesson in the form of 6-1, 6-1 after scoring the first set. He had never lost the Murcian this season with that advantage (36-0), but the Italian nightmare, four of his seven defeats in 2022 are against transalpines, reappeared.

The one from El Palmar dodged it in the semifinals against Giulio Zeppieri, but Sinner raised the challenge and left Alcaraz with the honey on his lips of raising his fifth title of the year --plus last year's in Croatian lands--, like last week it happened in Hamburg (Germany). The Murcian takes at least another step in the ATP ranking, new number four in the world on Monday.

With no 'break' options in the first set, Alcaraz took the sleeve in sudden death, but far from falling apart, Sinner grew in the face of adversity and raised his level. The second game of the second set was key, with the Italian saving six break balls in a resistance that extended the entire sleeve.

Instead, the Murcian gave up one service after another until 6-1. In the third set, Sinner did not even give those 'break' options, while Alcaraz failed to pick up his game and match the challenge presented by the Italian. Learning for the Murcian based on defeats, as was the passage through Roland Garros and Wimbledon, which should not stop his progression and potential.