Fri Feb 07 19:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Overwhelmed Vavassori Praises “On Fire” Alcaraz After Rotterdam Loss

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands – Andrea Vavassori experienced firsthand the full force of Carlos Alcaraz’s brilliance in their Rotterdam Open match yesterday. The Italian, defeated by the world number two, described the experience as facing an unstoppable force.

“He was absolutely impressive,” Vavassori told Ubitennis. “I played him last year in Buenos Aires on clay, and I had a bit more time to play then. But here, he didn’t give me anything. His serve was incredibly strong, over 220 km/h, and he returned almost everything. He made very few mistakes and served intelligently. I only had one break point. The only regret is not making him play more, but it’s difficult.”

Vavassori likened the experience to being “under a train,” highlighting the difficulty of staying competitive against Alcaraz at his peak. While acknowledging he could have potentially won a few more games, he admitted the victory for Alcaraz was highly probable given his performance.

Despite the loss, Vavassori viewed the match as a valuable experience, believing it will boost his confidence in doubles play. He also praised Alcaraz’s character, describing him as “a very special guy” off the court, noting their prior encounters on the Challenger circuit. “On court he was completely ‘on fire’. Off court, he’s one of the few who always greets you with a smile,” Vavassori concluded.

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