RIO DE JANEIRO: World quantity two Carlos Alcaraz clawed again a break in each units and dominated the tiebreaker to beat Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 7-6 (7/0) on Friday within the ATP Rio Open quarterfinals.
The 19-year-old Spaniard notched his third win in three matches in opposition to 32-year-old Lajovic, together with a quarterfinal win over the 80th-ranked Serbian within the quarterfinals on the Argentina Open final week.
Alcaraz went on to win that title to cement his return from a four-month harm layoff that noticed him miss the Australian Open.
In the semifinals on Saturday, Alcaraz will face Chilean Qualifier Nicolas Jarry, who toppled sixth-seeded Sebastian Baez of Argentina 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).
Alcaraz is searching for to defend the title that made him the youngest-ever winner of an ATP 500 event final 12 months.
Second-seeded Briton Cameron Norrie booked his semifinal berth with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-Four victory over Bolivian Hugo Dellian.
Norrie, attempting to reach his third ultimate of the 12 months, will face Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles, who beat compatriot Albert Ramos Vinolas 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Alcaraz improved his excellent document in 2023 to 7-0, however he needed to determine some issues out alongside the way in which.
“It was a very complicated match,” Alcaraz mentioned. “Dusan has an incredible forehand, an incredible backhand, an incredible serve, excellent photographs, and immediately he has proven it, he has given a recital.
“But I was solid. In the end, I was very happy to have solved those problems.”
Alcaraz trailed 2-Four in each units, reeling off the final 4 video games of the primary earlier than discovering himself in one other battle within the second.
He belted 32 winners to Lajovic’s 13 and gained 16 of 17 factors on the web.
But 25 unforced errors contributed to the difficulties that noticed him go down an early break in each units.
In the second, he broke again with a stinging backhand winner to stage the set at 4-4.
He led 40-Zero within the 11th recreation solely to give up his serve and saved a set level on the way in which to a break within the subsequent recreation that compelled the tiebreaker.
“Those moments are where the very good players differ from the rest of the players, and I try to play at my highest level,” Alcaraz mentioned.
Alcaraz, whose 5 titles final 12 months included the US Open and made him the youngest-ever world primary, was dominant all through the decider, placing it away on his first match level with a forehand passing winner.
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