A little over a year after his saga until the round of 16 at Roland Garros, here is the Toulouse left-hander, winner 6-4, 7-5 of Carlos Alcaraz, for the first time at this stage of the Masters competition. 1000. From Friday he will challenge the world number 2, recent winner of the US Open and holder of the Parisian trophy, Daniil Medvedev.
“I definitely feel a little tired, but I play tennis to play matches like that, with a full stadium like that, appreciates Gaston. It’s great to be here. ”
You should have seen Bercy, at half past midnight, still very lavishly garnished, sing the Marseillaise at the top of your lungs. It is because Gaston (21 years old) then makes him experience a new twist of which he has the secret.
Still led 5-0 in the second set a few tens of minutes earlier, and two points from losing it, the future resident of the top 70, who arrived 103rd in the world in Paris, has just lined up six consecutive games – and given the dizzy to the point of making him lose his calm in the usual so posed Alcaraz – and is about to serve for the gain of the match.
He succeeds without trembling, even concluding on an ace. “I’ll be honest, I had already prepared my outfit for the third set, smiled Gaston. But I heard a few “remoradas” and I thought to myself why not? “
Long before that, we understood from the entry of the two players that Bercy wanted to live an overheated evening, with the “Hugo, Hugo, Hugo” descending from the stands or the ovation which accompanied the first muffled distilled by Gaston.
During the first set, the student of Marc Barbier dazzled with his tennis so exciting and bewitching, made of variations of rhythm and angles, and an iron defense. Even if Alcaraz has twice counted a break in advance.
The young Spaniard, already 35th in the world at 18 and recent quarter-finalist at the US Open, seemed to regain his spirits in the second round, until he escaped 5 games to 0 – despite a breathtaking point lost in the after five smashes forwarded by Gaston.
This is the moment when the little Toulouse genius came out of his box again, scoring 21 of the last 23 points. To the chagrin of Alcaraz, completely confused. “It’s hard to put words on it, the emotion is so strong, breathes Marc Barbier, Gaston’s trainer. It’s so amazing what is happening that it’s magic. It’s a magical week. “
This is @ HugoGaston7‘s world and we’re just living in it
The Frenchman rallies from * 0-5 * down in the second set to close out Alcaraz 6-4 7-5 and become the lowest-ranked Paris quarter-finalist since 2012!#RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/FX7Y3o5NiR
– Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 4, 2021
Gaston’s Parisian tournament was already an adventure. In his first qualifying round, against South African Kevin Anderson, he dismissed two match points. Then, in his next three matches, he found himself led by a set and a break before turning the situation each time.
In October 2020, during the edition of Roland-Garros, exceptionally rescheduled in the fall because of the Covid-19, the small size (1.73 m) had made a name for himself by offering himself Stan Wawrinka for himself invite in the round of 16, then pushing Dominic Thiem there until the fifth set. He then pointed beyond the 200th place in the world.