Umag semi-finals: Alcaraz beats Zeppieri, Sinner beats Agamenone

Giulio Zeppieri’s dream week ends with a capital performance in the semifinals against world no.5 Carlos Alcaraz, who had to struggle a lot before reaching the final of the ATP 250 in Umago. The Spaniard took almost three hours to prevail against the southpaw from Latina, stopped only by cramps in the third set and defeated 7-5 4-6 6-3. For Alcaraz it will be the sixth final of the season, the second in Umag after the one won last year. “When I play with Italian tennis players I have nightmares”, the statements on the eve by Alcaraz, who probably won’t sleep soundly even tonight as tomorrow on the other side of the net he will find Sinner, who bent Agamenone 6-1 6- 3 in an hour and 26 ‘.

sumptuous

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The one played by Zeppieri remains a sumptuous tournament, capable of reaching the semifinals starting from the qualifications. The blue Next Gen defeated in sequence experienced players such as Gilles Simon (182 Atp), Elias Ymer (128), Pedro Cachin (90), Daniel Galan (99) and Bernabe Zapata Miralles (82). Thanks to the results collected, it is now virtually at number 133 in the world, with a jump in the standings of 35 positions.

open face

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It is an open battle between Zeppieri and Alcaraz from the start. Having saved a break point in the second game, the Spaniard moves forward by removing the serve to the blue in the most struggled game of the set (18 points), with Zeppieri not controlling a backhand volley. Staying attached to the score, Latina’s southpaw on 4-3 comeback from 0-40 taking advantage of Alcaraz’s few firsts (and two double faults) and reopens the set. At 5-4 three set points fade for Zeppieri, who in the next game suffers from missed opportunities. Alcaraz thus grabs the break of 6-5 on the net and goes to serve for the partial, closed 7-5.

counterattack

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Giulio is good at thwarting two break attempts at the opening of the second set. At 2-2 40-30 comes a medical timeout for the Spaniard (sprained right ankle), but he doesn’t stop him. At 5-4 and 40-0 the problems return to serve for Carlitos, who with a double fault gives Zeppieri the ball of the set. Giulio does not tremble, he pushes Alcaraz out of the field and puts him with the break that extends the game. It turns on 6-4. The decider opens with a rich booty for Alcaraz, who seems to go fast towards the end of the match thanks to a double break. Between the fourth and sixth game Giulio is good at hanging up the opponent even if at 3-3, just when the partial is reopened, the cramps arrive to put him in crisis. The Italian cannot take advantage of the intervention of the physiotherapist before the change of pitch and gives up the service again. The physical decline continues to undermine Zeppieri’s performance also in the following games and Alcaraz takes the opportunity to close 6-3.

blue derby

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In the blue derby at the end of the evening, Italy’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner eliminated the Italian-Argentine Franco Agamenone (136 Atp) in two sets. The South Tyrolean finished quite easily, a 6-1 6-3 matured in an hour and 26 minutes of play, winning the seventh final of his career, the first on clay. “I tried to play well in the important moments – said Sinner who then thanked the audience in Italian, with so many Azzurri fans in the stands – I’m happy to play here, it’s a special place for me as I won one of my first games. at the ATP level, against Pedro Sousa in 2019. Tomorrow I will have to raise my level to win and I will try to prepare myself as best as possible “. It will be the third career clash between Sinner and Alcaraz, with the Spaniard who won the first head-to-head, at the Masters 1000 in Paris Bercy in 2021 for 7-6 (1) 7-5. On the other hand, the other from Alto Adige, a few weeks ago in the second round of Wimbledon, where he won 6-1 6-4 6-7 (8) 6-3.