VALENCIA: Carlos Alcaraz, the youngest world number one in men’s tennis history at 19 after winning the US Open last week, had a bittersweet homecoming as he lost to Felix Auger-Eliasime. , 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-2 in the Davis Cup in Valencia on Friday.
Cheered on by an enthusiastic home support after her first Grand Slam victory on Saturday, the Spaniard and her Canadian rival played out a thrilling second singles rubber, with Canada leveling the tie 1-1.
Alcaraz, from nearby Murcia, watched from the sidelines as Spain beat Serbia 3-0 on Wednesday.
On Friday, he was neck-and-neck with his Canadian opponent through the first set as both players held strong serves.
The Canadian was particularly unforgiving, hitting seven aces in the first set and winning 79 percent of her service points, yet Alcaraz returned each time to force a tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, Auger-Aliasime grabbed a mini-break to take the lead but the persistent Spaniard turned it around and won the set with a powerful forehand drive down the line.
The second set was also brilliant and evenly contested, until Auger-Aliassime went ahead 5-4. After that he served.
In the third, Alcaraz tired, perhaps unsurprisingly after her marathon matches in New York, and world No. 13 Auger-Aliassime broke immediately and then again to go 4-1 up, despite the crowd cheering. Stopped the Spaniard.
Roberto Bautista had earlier beaten Vasek Pospel 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to give Spain a 1-0 lead after coming from behind.
