Tag Archives: Boris Becker

Carlos Alcaraz Outlasts Hubert Hurkacz to Reach Western & Southern Open Men’s Final

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It’s a Wimbledon rematch for Carlos Alcaraz. 

The 20-year-old Spanish tennis player and World No. 1 erased a match point in the second set and rallied past unseeded Hubert Hurkacz 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the semifinals on Saturday to reach the Western & Southern Open final.

Carlos AlcarazIn Sunday’s final, Alcaraz will face Novak Djokovic, defeated Alexander Zverev, the 2021 tournament champ, 7-6 (5), 7-5 to earn a shot at his third title in the US Open tuneup.

Alcaraz won six straight points in the second-set tiebreaker to reach his eighth final of the season. He beat Djokovic last month at Wimbledon to win his second major title and deny Djokovic his 24th.

Alcaraz is the youngest Cincinnati finalist since 19-year-old Pete Sampras in 1991. He’s trying to become the youngest champion since Boris Becker won at 17 in 1985.

Despite going to a third set in each of his four matches this week, Alcaraz says he’ll be ready for the final.

“It doesn’t matter if I’m playing third sets or long matches, I’m recovering really well,” Alcaraz said. “I feel like I’m going to play the first match of the tournament. I feel great.”

Last week in Toronto, Alcaraz needed two tiebreakers to beat Hurkacz after losing the first set.

“Playing against Hubert is always tough,” Alcaraz said. “We played until the final ball. I was really happy to get that win today. He’s one of the best servers in the tour.”

Djokovic, 36, is the oldest Cincinnati finalist in the professional era, dating to 1968, surpassing 35-year old Ken Rosewall in 1970.

Earlier in the week, it was announced that Alcaraz and Djokovic will participate in the group stage of the Davis Cup finals next month.

Alcaraz and Djokovic were included in the teams announced Monday by Spain and Serbia, respectively, for the competition that will be played September 12-17 in Valencia, Spain.

Carlos Alcaraz Wins Queen’s Club Championships Title to Reclaim World No. 1 Ranking

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Carlos Alcaraz has reclaimed the World No. 1 ranking…

The 20-year-old Spanish tennis player defeated Alex De Minaur 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to then the Queen’s Club Championships final for his first ATP title on grass.

Carlos AlcarazIn the process he reclaimed the top ranking, ensuring he’ll enter Wimbledon next month as the No. 1 seed.

Despite struggling at times in the first set, Alcaraz beat De Minaur for his fifth title of the year and 11th overall.

In the process, Alcaraz moved above Novak Djokovic in the rankings and confirmed the US Open champion as a serious challenger to the Serbian player’s crown at Wimbledon. Alcaraz lost in the fourth round to Jannik Sinner last year.

“The chances don’t change so much. I mean, Novak is coming to Wimbledon,” Alcaraz said. “Right now, I’m feeling better than the beginning of the week, that’s obvious.

Carlos Alcaraz“Of course, recovering the No. 1 before Wimbledon, it gives you extra motivation, it gives you extra confidence coming into Wimbledon. But it doesn’t change too much if I play Wimbledon as the No. 2 or the No. 1.”

Alcaraz will enter Wimbledon as the second-youngest man to be seeded No. 1 since the Open era began in 1968, after Boris Becker, who was 19, in 1987, according to ESPN Stats & Information data.

Sunday’s final was Alcaraz’s first on grass, in only the third tournament of his young career on the surface.

He had to save two break points in the eighth game of the first set, broke in the next game and then served out for the set.

Alcaraz won the only break point of the second set, when the 24-year-old Spanish/Uruguayan Australian tennis player double faulted, and sealed the title on his first match point when the Australian sent a return long.

“It means a lot to have my name on the trophy,” Alcaraz said. “It was special to play here where so many legends have won. To see my name surrounded by the great champions is amazing.”

Alcaraz has won titles on hard, clay and grass this season, making him the youngest man to win tour-level titles on hard, clay and grass in the same year since Mats Wilander, who was 19, in 1983, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Carlos Alcaraz Outlasts Karen Khachanov to Reach Madrid Open Semifinals

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Carlos Alcaraz is playing on at the Madrid Open…

The 19-year-old Spanish tennis player and defending champion overcame a tough test from Karen Khachanov on Wednesday, rallying late in the second set for a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win that set up a semifinal against Borna Coric.

Carlos AlcarazIt was Alcaraz’s 150th tour-level match, and his 117th victory to leave him with a winning percentage (78%) currently better than the likes of Pete Sampras, Boris Becker and Andre Agassi.

“My dream in tennis right now is to become one of the best tennis players in history,” Alcaraz said. “I know that this is a big dream, (it) probably is too big. But in this world, you have to dream big and you have to think big, as well. I want to be part of the the best tennis players in history. And I will work for it.”

Alcaraz was down 4-1 and 5-2 in the final set before winning the final five games to secure his fourth straight-set victory in Madrid.

The top-seeded Spaniard improved to 27-2 this year, having dropped only one set in his last 19 victories. He will be playing in his third Masters 1000 semifinals of the season.

“I knew I had to keep fighting no matter what,” Alcaraz said. “I had to stay strong because I knew that I would have my opportunities, and gladly I took advantage of the first one that I had to close out the match.”

Alcaraz converted on his first match point after the 10th-seeded Khachanov had taken control of the second set with an early break. The Russian had two break opportunities to go up 5-1 before Alcaraz rallied for the victory. The Spaniard, who finished with 31 winners, had converted on his first break opportunity to go up 4-3 and win the first set.

Alcaraz had cruised past last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev in the previous round, while Khachanov – a semifinalist at the Australian Open this year and at the U.S. Open last year – had beaten fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev.

Alcaraz is trying to become the first player this season to win two Masters 1000 titles, after having already lifted the trophy in Indian Wells. He successfully defended his title in Barcelona and also won in Buenos Aires.

If Alcaraz wins the title again in Madrid, he will regain the No. 1 spot in the world rankings if he plays at least one match in Rome.