Outstanding Alcaraz beats Humbert to lead Spain to Davis Cup victory over France
The world No 3 was too good for Ugo Humbert, sealing a 6-3, 6-3 win to clinch a 2-0 victory for Spain in front of a delighted home crowd in Valencia
Carlos Alcaraz, 2024 © Zuma / Panoramic
Spain’s sparkling talisman, Carlos Alcaraz, delivered once again for his country, swatting aside the challenge of Ugo Humbert with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over the Frenchman to return Spain to the Davis Cup Finals.
Alcaraz’s win means the Spanish now hold an unassailable 2-0 lead over the French, and having won their opening tie 3-0 against the Czech Republic, Spain are guaranteed safe passage into November’s Finals.
Touted as the ‘group of death’ ahead of this year’s Davis Cup group stage, Spain and Australia have separated themselves from the other two nations to ensure their participation in Malaga, where the Finals will be held.
Last year, this stage of the tournament ended in heartbreak for the Spanish, who suffered a shock early exit by failing to qualify from their group. The ignominy of not participating in a Davis Cup Finals taking place in Spain has acted as added motivation for the Spanish this time around.
Alcaraz has been in typically superb form. After a desperately disappointing North American hard-court campaign, the Spaniard has joined up with his compatriots with a renewed sense of vigour fuelled by a powerful desire to deliver for his country.
The reigning Roland-Garros and Wimbledon champion won both his singles and doubles matches against the Czechs – the former a dazzling spectacle of all-court mastery against Tomas Machac – before outclassing the talented Humbert in today’s tie.
With Roberto Bautista Agut battling to a 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory against Arthur Fils in the tie’s opening match, Alcaraz knew that a win against Humbert would seal his country’s place in the Finals.
The young Spaniard duly obliged, seizing his opportunity to finish the tie with a combination of clinical professionalism and some simply breathtaking shotmaking.
Two breaks in the fifth and ninth games won Alcaraz the first set, before a sole break in the sixth game of the second without reply ensured a straight-sets win.
australia and spain set up tantalising clash for top spot in group b
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Edouard Roger-Vasselin will team up against Pablo Carreno-Busta and Marcel Granollers-Pujo for the final doubles match, but it is now of little relevance following France and the Czech Republic’s exits from the tournament.
The real intrigue in Group B is the final tie between Australia and Spain. With both nations having won their opening two ties, they will face off for top spot in the group over the weekend.
Australia are in fine form, epitomised by the excellent performances of their leading player Thanasi Kokkinakis, who has stepped up impressively in the absence of Australian No 1 Alex De Minaur.
But, with the Valencian crowd on their side, and a refreshed Alcaraz playing somewhere near his best tennis again, Lleyton Hewitt’s contingent will have a big task on their hands if they are to progress as group winners over the home nation.
Whichever way it goes, both teams have laid down a marker for the Finals in November, as they’ve cantered through the toughest group in the tournament to earn what will be a highly-charged winner-takes-all showdown.
This one should be good fun.
