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IMAGE: Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after beating Serbia’s Novak Djokovic within the Wimbledon last, on the All-England Garden Tennis and Croquet Membership, London, July 16, 2023. {Photograph}: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters
World primary Carlos Alcaraz marked his return to motion following his Wimbledon triumph with a battling 4-6, 6-4 (10-8) win over David Goffin of their Hopman Cup conflict on Friday however couldn’t forestall Spain from dropping 2-1 to Belgium.
Within the day’s different tie, Switzerland scored a 2-1 victory over France after the duo of Celine Naef and Leandro Riedi beat Alize Cornet and Richard Gasquet 6-4, 7-5 within the blended doubles rubber to ebook their place in Sunday’s last.
Cornet earlier downed Naef 1-6, 6-3 (10-8) earlier than Riedi received previous Gasquet 3-6, 6-3 (10-8) to arrange the decider.
The 20-year-old Alcaraz, who gained his second Grand Slam title on Sunday defeating 23-time main champion Novak Djokovic on the All England Membership lawns, didn’t benefit from the smoothest shift again to clay in Good, France, on his debut within the blended staff occasion.
Taking to the courtroom after Elise Mertens beat Rebeka Masarova 7-6(3), 2-6 (10-5) to place Belgium 1-0 forward, Alcaraz dropped his serve twice in sweltering circumstances to give up the opening set tamely to his seasoned opponent.
World quantity 111 Goffin, who defeated Alcaraz the final time they performed after the teen bagged the 2022 US Open crown, broke within the opening recreation of the subsequent set and consolidated his result in heap the strain on his opponent.
Alcaraz responded by clawing again to 3-3 and rode his luck after each gamers wobbled on serve to stage the match at a set apiece earlier than switching on the after-burners from 0-4 down within the wildly swinging tremendous tiebreak to wrap up the victory.
“It wasn’t straightforward, it was a tricky match however I am actually comfortable to return again to claycourts,” Alcaraz mentioned. “It is a good floor for me and I actually loved enjoying tennis right here.
“I felt the power and the love from the folks.”
Alcaraz and Masarova, who changed the injured Paula Badosa within the squad, have been then thrashed 6-3, 6-1 by Goffin and Mertens within the blended doubles rubber.
Spain will subsequent tackle Croatia on Saturday.
The relaunched Hopman Cup returned to the tennis calendar this week after a four-year absence, having misplaced its spot forward of the Australian Open on account of the short-lived ATP Cup males’s staff occasion.
The final version of the Hopman Cup, which started in 1989 and was named after Australian nice Harry Hopman, noticed Roger Federer lead Switzerland to the title in opposition to Germany.
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