Category: Carlos Alcaraz

Zverev expects 'extremely tough' Alcaraz final after beating Tsitsipas

May 8, 2022

Alexander Zverev says he expects an “extremely tough” match against Carlos Alcaraz after sealing an engrossing three-set win over Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the Madrid Open final.

Zverev, the defending champion, was once more in his element at the Caja Magica, losing just 16 points on his own serve to come through 6-4 3-6 6-2 and set up a much-anticipated final against the 19-year-old Alcaraz.

Alcaraz came through his semi-final with a momentous win over Novak Djokovic, having also downed Rafa Nadal in the quarters – the first time anyone had ever beaten those two totems of the sport on clay back-to-back.

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Zverev said: “I thought from yesterday [Friday] onwards I started to play really well.

“I’m just extremely happy to be in the final here. I know it’s going to be an extremely tough match but I hope I can manage to play my best and give myself a chance.”

Zverev – bar a late wobble on serve – had been just as impressive in his straight-sets quarter-final victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime, but seemed to try and play down any notion of him being the favourite for Sunday’s final, despite holding a 2-0 record in his head-to-head with Alcaraz.

“I have been playing well, so I’m just renting it [the Manolo Santana Stadium court],” the German joked.

“It’s going to be his [Alcaraz’s] court for the next 15 years probably. It has been Rafa’s court for the past 15 years and it’s going to be his court for the next 15 years.

I just hope I can give him some trouble and I hope I can manage to win tomorrow.

Zverev and Tsitsipas had gone blow-for-blow in the early stages of their last-four clash, but the German managed to land the only break of the first set in the seventh game, maintaining his lead thereafter to take the upper hand.

Tsitsipas had just two break point opportunities during the entire encounter, but he pounced on the first late in the second set to level matters up at one set all.

However Zverev stepped on the gas in the decider, surging into a 3-0 lead and never looking back.

– – –

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Final Preview: Alcaraz Seeks Another First vs. Zverev In Madrid

May 8, 2022

The Caja Magica has proved a fitting name for the Mutua Madrid Open venue this week, with home favourite Carlos Alcaraz embarking on a magical run to the final at the ATP Masters 1000 event. After beating Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for the first time to set up a title tilt against defending champion Alexander Zverev, the 19-year-old seeks his first win in three tries against the German on Sunday.

Should Alcaraz take the title Sunday, he will move to second place in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Turin, just 70 points behind Nadal, making it highly likely that he will eventually qualify for the year-end Nitto ATP Finals.

Before the singles final, Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah will take on in-form duo Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski for the doubles crown.

[2] Alexander Zverev (GER) vs. [7] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)

Zverev holds a 2-0 ATP Head2Head advantage over Alcaraz following a pair of dominant hard-court victories last season in Acapulco and Vienna. But the Spaniard has reached a stratospheric level in recent months, winning three ATP Tour titles and compiling a 5-2 record against Top 10 opponents.

Alcaraz enters the final with a 27-3 record on the season, level with Stefanos Tsitsipas for the most in the ATP Tour, while Zverev is not far behind at 21-7.

The 19-year-old is undefeated in his four previous tour-level finals, and on Sunday can become the youngest five-time champion since Nadal won seven titles by the same age in 2004-05. All that success made Alcaraz the newest member of the Top 10 himself entering this week, and his final run has lifted three more places to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

But Zverev has proven to be the man to beat in Madrid, and will enter the final with a 19-2 record as a two-time champion in the Spanish capital (2018, 2021). Still, he downplayed his chances in the final against the red-hot fan favourite after seeing him take out Nadal and Djokovic in succession.

“Nothing that surprises me,” Zverev said of those results, “because I know how good he is. I said last year in Acapulco that by 2023 he’s going to be Top 10. He beat me by a year. There’s nothing more to say. He’s an incredible player. He’s going to be incredible. At 19 years old now, he looks like a grown man. To be honest, there’s no limit for him.”

Alcaraz did not know his final opponent after getting past Djokovic in the first semi-final, but was already making his recovery plans when he spoke with the press following that match. Not only will the Spaniard have to recover physically following that three-hour, 35-minute battle, he must reset mentally after defeating two tennis legends in as many days.

“After today’s match, of course with my team, with my family, we are going to have a great time to enjoy the moment. But I think that tomorrow I’m going to play a final of a really big tournament, and tonight I’m going to be very focussed to be able to recover and to [play] as best as possible for tomorrow’s match.”

Zverev also went three sets in the semis, against Tsitsipas, but needed less than two hours to advance in relatively dominant fashion. Despite the shorter match time, Zverev did not wrap up the win until near 1 a.m. due to a late start. Nonetheless, he said post-match that he planned to return to the court to practise ahead ahead of facing his “toughest opponent of the week” in the final. He did the same after a late quarter-final finish against Felix Auger-Aliassime and has made a habit of post-match practises in recent times.

ATP WTA Live App

A look at the Balance of Power and Conversion & Steal metrics for the finalists paints an intriguing picture ahead of what may lie ahead. Both men are above average in Balance of Power, which measures the percentage of shots hit from an attacking position. Zverev is 11 percentage points above average at converting points from those attacking positions, while Alcaraz’s standout stat is the “steal” — he wins 42 percent of points in which his opponent gains an attacking advantage, beating the Tour average by seven percentage points.

The below figures were calculated from both finalists’ four matches in Madrid.

  Balance of

Power		 Conversion Steal
Alcaraz 22% 69% 42%
Zverev 26% 76% 39%
Tour Avg. 21% 65% 35%

[5] Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) / Robert Farah (COL) vs. [7] Wesley Koolhof (NED) / Neal Skupski (GBR)

Two of the in-form doubles teams on the ATP Tour meet for the first time in the Madrid final. Cabal and Farah, both former World No. 1s in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings, seek their first title of 2022 in their second final of the season. They fell just short of ATP Masters 1000 glory in Monte Carlo, losing a Match Tie-break in the final, and have earned an opportunity to atone for that result less than a month later.

Koolhof and Skupski, who stand atop the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Team Rankings, are competing in a tour-leading sixth final of the year as they aim for a fourth title. The Dutch-British duo continues to mesh perfectly after teaming for the first time in January. Like their opponents, they also suffered recent defeat in a Masters 1000 final when they lost to Hubert Hurkacz and John Isner in Miami. But the seventh seeds avenged that loss with a 7-6(7), 7-5 win over the singles stars in the Madrid semi-finals.

Following a Match Tie-break loss in the Barcelona final two weeks ago, Koolhof and Skupski are playing in their second consecutive final.

Final Preview: Alcaraz Seeks Another First vs. Zverev In Madrid

May 8, 2022

The Caja Magica has proved a fitting name for the Mutua Madrid Open venue this week, with home favourite Carlos Alcaraz embarking on a magical run to the final at the ATP Masters 1000 event. After beating Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for the first time to set up a title tilt against defending champion Alexander Zverev, the 19-year-old seeks his first win in three tries against the German on Sunday.

Should Alcaraz take the title Sunday, he will move to second place in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Turin, just 70 points behind Nadal, making it highly likely that he will eventually qualify for the year-end Nitto ATP Finals.

Before the singles final, Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah will take on in-form duo Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski for the doubles crown.

[2] Alexander Zverev (GER) vs. [7] Carlos Alcraz (ESP)

Zverev holds a 2-0 ATP Head2Head advantage over Alcaraz following a pair of dominant hard-court victories last season in Acapulco and Vienna. But the Spaniard has reached a stratospheric level in recent months, winning three ATP Tour titles and compiling a 5-2 record against Top 10 opponents.

Alcaraz enters the final with a 27-3 record on the season, level with Stefanos Tsitsipas for the most in the ATP Tour, while Zverev is not far behind at 21-7.

The 19-year-old is undefeated in his four previous tour-level finals, and on Sunday can become the youngest five-time champion since Nadal won seven titles by the same age in 2004-05. All that success made Alcaraz the newest member of the Top 10 himself entering this week, and his final run has lifted three more places to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

But Zverev has proven to be the man to beat in Madrid, and will enter the final with a 19-2 record as a two-time champion in the Spanish capital (2018, 2021). Still, he downplayed his chances in the final against the red-hot fan favourite after seeing him take out Nadal and Djokovic in succession.

“Nothing that surprises me,” Zverev said of those results, “because I know how good he is. I said last year in Acapulco that by 2023 he’s going to be Top 10. He beat me by a year. There’s nothing more to say. He’s an incredible player. He’s going to be incredible. At 19 years old now, he looks like a grown man. To be honest, there’s no limit for him.”

Alcaraz did not know his final opponent after getting past Djokovic in the first semi-final, but was already making his recovery plans when he spoke with the press following that match. Not only will the Spaniard have to recover physically following that three-hour, 35-minute battle, he must reset mentally after defeating two tennis legends in as many days.

“After today’s match, of course with my team, with my family, we are going to have a great time to enjoy the moment. But I think that tomorrow I’m going to play a final of a really big tournament, and tonight I’m going to be very focussed to be able to recover and to [play] as best as possible for tomorrow’s match.”

Zverev also went three sets in the semis, against Tsitsipas, but needed less than two hours to advance in relatively dominant fashion. Despite the shorter match time, Zverev did not wrap up the win until near 1 a.m. due to a late start. Nonetheless, he said post-match that he planned to return to the court to practise ahead ahead of facing his “toughest opponent of the week” in the final. He did the same after a late quarter-final finish against Felix Auger-Aliassime and has made a habit of post-match practises in recent times.

ATP WTA Live App

A look at the Balance of Power and Conversion & Steal metrics for the finalists paints an intriguing picture ahead of what may lie ahead. Both men are above average in Balance of Power, which measures the percentage of shots hit from an attacking position. Zverev is 11 percentage points above average at converting points from those attacking positions, while Alcaraz’s standout stat is the “steal” — he wins 42 percent of points in which his opponent gains an attacking advantage, beating the Tour average by seven percentage points.

The below figures were calculated from both finalists’ four matches in Madrid.

  Balance of

Power		 Conversion Steal
Alcaraz 22% 69% 42%
Zverev 26% 76% 39%
Tour Avg. 21% 65% 35%

[5] Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) / Robert Farah (COL) vs. [7] Wesley Koolhof (NED) / Neal Skupski (GBR)

Two of the in-form doubles teams on the ATP Tour meet for the first time in the Madrid final. Cabal and Farah, both former World No. 1s in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings, seek their first title of 2022 in their second final of the season. They fell just short of ATP Masters 1000 glory in Monte Carlo, losing a Match Tie-break in the final, and have earned an opportunity to atone for that result less than a month later.

Koolhof and Skupski, who stand atop the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Team Rankings, are competing in a tour-leading sixth final of the year as they aim for a fourth title. The Dutch-British duo continues to mesh perfectly after teaming for the first time in January. Like their opponents, they also suffered recent defeat in a Masters 1000 final when they lost to Hubert Hurkacz and John Isner in Miami. But the seventh seeds avenged that loss with a 7-6(7), 7-5 win over the singles stars in the Madrid semi-finals.

Following a Match Tie-break loss in the Barcelona final two weeks ago, Koolhof and Skupski are playing in their second consecutive final.

Final Preview: Alcaraz Seeks Another First vs. Zverev In Madrid

May 8, 2022

The Caja Magica has proved a fitting name for the Mutua Madrid Open venue this week, with home favourite Carlos Alcaraz embarking on a magical run to the final at the ATP Masters 1000 event. After beating Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for the first time to set up a title tilt against defending champion Alexander Zverev, the 19-year-old seeks his first win in three tries against the German on Sunday.

Should Alcaraz take the title Sunday, he will move to second place in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Turin, just 70 points behind Nadal, making it highly likely that he will eventually qualify for the year-end Nitto ATP Finals.

Before the singles final, Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah will take on in-form duo Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski for the doubles crown.

[2] Alexander Zverev (GER) vs. [7] Carlos Alcraz (ESP)

Zverev holds a 2-0 ATP Head2Head advantage over Alcaraz following a pair of dominant hard-court victories last season in Acapulco and Vienna. But the Spaniard has reached a stratospheric level in recent months, winning three ATP Tour titles and compiling a 5-2 record against Top 10 opponents.

Alcaraz enters the final with a 27-3 record on the season, level with Stefanos Tsitsipas for the most in the ATP Tour, while Zverev is not far behind at 21-7.

The 19-year-old is undefeated in his four previous tour-level finals, and on Sunday can become the youngest five-time champion since Nadal won seven titles by the same age in 2004-05. All that success made Alcaraz the newest member of the Top 10 himself entering this week, and his final run has lifted three more places to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

But Zverev has proven to be the man to beat in Madrid, and will enter the final with a 19-2 record as a two-time champion in the Spanish capital (2018, 2021). Still, he downplayed his chances in the final against the red-hot fan favourite after seeing him take out Nadal and Djokovic in succession.

“Nothing that surprises me,” Zverev said of those results, “because I know how good he is. I said last year in Acapulco that by 2023 he’s going to be Top 10. He beat me by a year. There’s nothing more to say. He’s an incredible player. He’s going to be incredible. At 19 years old now, he looks like a grown man. To be honest, there’s no limit for him.”

Alcaraz did not know his final opponent after getting past Djokovic in the first semi-final, but was already making his recovery plans when he spoke with the press following that match. Not only will the Spaniard have to recover physically following that three-hour, 35-minute battle, he must reset mentally after defeating two tennis legends in as many days.

“After today’s match, of course with my team, with my family, we are going to have a great time to enjoy the moment. But I think that tomorrow I’m going to play a final of a really big tournament, and tonight I’m going to be very focussed to be able to recover and to [play] as best as possible for tomorrow’s match.”

Zverev also went three sets in the semis, against Tsitsipas, but needed less than two hours to advance in relatively dominant fashion. Despite the shorter match time, Zverev did not wrap up the win until near 1 a.m. due to a late start. Nonetheless, he said post-match that he planned to return to the court to practise ahead ahead of facing his “toughest opponent of the week” in the final. He did the same after a late quarter-final finish against Felix Auger-Aliassime and has made a habit of post-match practises in recent times.

ATP WTA Live App

A look at the Balance of Power and Conversion & Steal metrics for the finalists paints an intriguing picture ahead of what may lie ahead. Both men are above average in Balance of Power, which measures the percentage of shots hit from an attacking position. Zverev is 11 percentage points above average at converting points from those attacking positions, while Alcaraz’s standout stat is the “steal” — he wins 42 percent of points in which his opponent gains an attacking advantage, beating the Tour average by seven percentage points.

The below figures were calculated from both finalists’ four matches in Madrid.

  Balance of

Power		 Conversion Steal
Alcaraz 22% 69% 42%
Zverev 26% 76% 39%
Tour Avg. 21% 65% 35%

[5] Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) / Robert Farah (COL) vs. [7] Wesley Koolhof (NED) / Neal Skupski (GBR)

Two of the in-form doubles teams on the ATP Tour meet for the first time in the Madrid final. Cabal and Farah, both former World No. 1s in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings, seek their first title of 2022 in their second final of the season. They fell just short of ATP Masters 1000 glory in Monte Carlo, losing a Match Tie-break in the final, and have earned an opportunity to atone for that result less than a month later.

Koolhof and Skupski, who stand atop the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Team Rankings, are competing in a tour-leading sixth final of the year as they aim for a fourth title. The Dutch-British duo continues to mesh perfectly after teaming for the first time in January. Like their opponents, they also suffered recent defeat in a Masters 1000 final when they lost to Hubert Hurkacz and John Isner in Miami. But the seventh seeds avenged that loss with a 7-6(7), 7-5 win over the singles stars in the Madrid semi-finals.

Following a Match Tie-break loss in the Barcelona final two weeks ago, Koolhof and Skupski are playing in their second consecutive final.

Alcaraz Takes Out Djokovic, Reaches Madrid Final

May 7, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz made it consecutive victories over ATP Tour legends at the Mutua Madrid Open on Saturday afternoon as the 19-year-old Spaniard clinched a stirring 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5) win over Novak Djokovic at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

The Spanish sensation backed up his win over Rafael Nadal in Friday’s quarter-finals in spectacular style on Manolo Santana Stadium, recovering from the disappointment of losing a first-set tie-break to complete the biggest win of his career by Pepperstone ATP Ranking against World No. 1 Djokovic.

“I don’t know what the difference [between us] was,” said Alcaraz after his three-hour, 35-minute win. “It was so close. He had the chances to break my serve at the end of the second set. In the first set as well it was so close in the tie-break. Honestly I don’t know what made the difference.”

Alcaraz’s outstanding 2022 season has seen the Spaniard win a maiden Masters 1000 title in Miami and break the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time. Defeating Nadal and Djokovic back-to-back in Madrid extends his winning streak over Top 10 opponents to six, an indication that the 19-year-old possesses the level to consistently match the very best on Tour.

“This gives me a lot of confidence to play the final tomorrow,” said Alcaraz, whose run in Madrid this week has lifted him three places to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. “I know that I played a really good game, and for the rest of the season I think I am able to play against the best players in the world and beat them as well, so it gives me a lot of confidence.”

ATP WTA Live App

Alcaraz struck 51 winners to Djokovic’s 24 as his aggressive style and consistent use of drop shots caused Djokovic constant problems in the pair’s maiden ATP Head2Head meeting. Alcaraz also proved steely under pressure in saving five of six break points he faced, with Djokovic saving eight out of 10 as both players frequently found big serves to dig themselves out of trouble.

The win makes the Spaniard the first player ever to beat Nadal and Djokovic at the same clay-court event and moves him to a 27-3 match record for the season. This ties him with Stefanos Tsitsipas for most tour-level wins in 2022, although the Greek can move ahead with victory in his semi-final against Alexander Zverev on Saturday night.

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As he did against Nadal in Friday’s quarter-finals, Alcaraz made a fast start at the Caja Magica. He pinned Djokovic to the back of the court with a barrage of bruising forehands and found an angled backhand pass to break in the opening game to the delight of his passionate home support.

Djokovic’s response was emphatic. From 40/15 in the third game, Djokovic won 21 successive points on serve and reclaimed the break in the eighth game. He carried that momentum into the first-set tie-break, opening up a 5/1 lead that proved unassailable.

An intriguing second set that featured few long rallies also seemed destined for a tie-break before Alcaraz produced a sublime return game at 6-5 to break and force a decider. The Spaniard’s drop shot grew increasingly effective as he frequently drew Djokovic forward, a tactic that took Alcaraz level as he angled a perfectly placed winner past the Serb on set point.

Alcaraz continued to look the more dangerous player into the deciding set, with Djokovic fending off break points breaks in three of his service games. The Spaniard let a match point slip at 5-5 as Djokovic’s trusty delivery continued to fire at big moments, but Alcaraz was not to be denied in the tie-break as he held firm for a statement win.

The Spaniard’s outstanding Conversion and Steal scores reflect his proficiency in winning points regardless of whether he was on the front or back foot. Alcaraz won 72 per cent of points from an offensive position and 41 per cent of points from defensive ones, clearly outscoring Djokovic in both departments (Learn more about Conversion and Steal scores).

Match Insights
<img src="https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/djokovic-alcaraz-bop-madrid-2022-saturday.jpg" alt="Novak Djokovic Vs. Carlos Alcaraz Match Insights”>

The semi-final victory takes Alcaraz within one win of a second Masters 1000 crown of the year. The Spaniard now looks forward to Sunday’s championship match against fourth seed Tsitsipas or defending champion Zverev.

“I just try to make results, to [play] a good game in every tournament to still be there with the best in the world,” said Alcaraz. “Tomorrow I will go for it in the final as I did in Miami, and I’m really happy to be able to play a second Masters 1000 final.”

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Alcaraz Takes Out Djokovic, Reaches Madrid Final

May 7, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz made it consecutive victories over ATP Tour legends at the Mutua Madrid Open on Saturday afternoon as the 19-year-old Spaniard clinched a stirring 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5) win over Novak Djokovic at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

The Spanish sensation backed up his win over Rafael Nadal in Friday’s quarter-finals in spectacular style on Manolo Santana Stadium, recovering from the disappointment of losing a first-set tie-break to complete the biggest win of his career by Pepperstone ATP Ranking against World No. 1 Djokovic.

“I don’t know what the difference [between us] was,” said Alcaraz after his three-hour, 35-minute win. “It was so close. He had the chances to break my serve at the end of the second set. In the first set as well it was so close in the tie-break. Honestly I don’t know what made the difference.”

Alcaraz’s outstanding 2022 season has seen the Spaniard win a maiden Masters 1000 title in Miami and break the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time. Defeating Nadal and Djokovic back-to-back in Madrid extends his winning streak over Top 10 opponents to six, an indication that the 19-year-old possesses the level to consistently match the very best on Tour.

“This gives me a lot of confidence to play the final tomorrow,” said Alcaraz, whose run in Madrid this week has lifted him three places to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. “I know that I played a really good game, and for the rest of the season I think I am able to play against the best players in the world and beat them as well, so it gives me a lot of confidence.”

ATP WTA Live App

Alcaraz struck 51 winners to Djokovic’s 24 as his aggressive style and consistent use of drop shots caused Djokovic constant problems in the pair’s maiden ATP Head2Head meeting. Alcaraz also proved steely under pressure in saving five of six break points he faced, with Djokovic saving eight out of 10 as both players frequently found big serves to dig themselves out of trouble.

The win makes the Spaniard the first player ever to beat Nadal and Djokovic at the same clay-court event and moves him to a 27-3 match record for the season. This ties him with Stefanos Tsitsipas for most tour-level wins in 2022, although the Greek can move ahead with victory in his semi-final against Alexander Zverev on Saturday night.

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As he did against Nadal in Friday’s quarter-finals, Alcaraz made a fast start at the Caja Magica. He pinned Djokovic to the back of the court with a barrage of bruising forehands and found an angled backhand pass to break in the opening game to the delight of his passionate home support.

Djokovic’s response was emphatic. From 40/15 in the third game, Djokovic won 21 successive points on serve and reclaimed the break in the eighth game. He carried that momentum into the first-set tie-break, opening up a 5/1 lead that proved unassailable.

An intriguing second set that featured few long rallies also seemed destined for a tie-break before Alcaraz produced a sublime return game at 6-5 to break and force a decider. The Spaniard’s drop shot grew increasingly effective as he frequently drew Djokovic forward, a tactic that took Alcaraz level as he angled a perfectly placed winner past the Serb on set point.

Alcaraz continued to look the more dangerous player into the deciding set, with Djokovic fending off break points breaks in three of his service games. The Spaniard let a match point slip at 5-5 as Djokovic’s trusty delivery continued to fire at big moments, but Alcaraz was not to be denied in the tie-break as he held firm for a statement win.

The Spaniard’s outstanding Conversion and Steal scores reflect his proficiency in winning points regardless of whether he was on the front or back foot. Alcaraz won 72 per cent of points from an offensive position and 41 per cent of points from defensive ones, clearly outscoring Djokovic in both departments (Learn more about Conversion and Steal scores).

Match Insights
Novak Djokovic Vs. Carlos Alcaraz Match Insights

The semi-final victory takes Alcaraz within one win of a second Masters 1000 crown of the year. The Spaniard now looks forward to Sunday’s championship match against fourth seed Tsitsipas or defending champion Zverev.

“I just try to make results, to [play] a good game in every tournament to still be there with the best in the world,” said Alcaraz. “Tomorrow I will go for it in the final as I did in Miami, and I’m really happy to be able to play a second Masters 1000 final.”

Ukraine crisis relief

Alcaraz backs up Nadal win to take down Djokovic and book place in Madrid Open final

May 7, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz produced another sensational display as he came from a set down to stun world No.1 Novak Djokovic and book a place in the Madrid Open final.

The 19-year-old became the first ever player to beat both Djokovic and Rafael Nadal at the same event on clay as he ousted the top seed 7-6(5) 5-7 6-7(5) after an enthralling three hours and 35 minutes inside the Manolo Santana Stadium.

Alcaraz is now the second-youngest player to reach a second Masters 1000 final following his title triumph in Miami earlier this year, and will meet either Stefanos Tsitsipas or defending champion, Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s showpiece.

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Alcaraz ‘confident’ ahead of Madrid final after beating Djokovic

There was no doubt this showdown was being earmarked as a true barometer of Djokovic’s current level after such a turbulent and disrupted start to his 2022 campaign. This was only the 20-time Grand Slam champion’s 11th match of the season and he had barely been troubled en route to this stage in the Spanish capital after easing past Gael Monfils and Hubert Hurkacz with a walkover against Andy Murray sandwiched in between.

That all changed in the first game as Alcaraz claimed an immediate break with a stunning backhand pass before fending off a break-back chance to move 2-0 up.

Djokovic responded with some highly efficient serving and continued to threaten the break back, but the fearless Spaniard hit clutch mode to stay in front until the eighth game when four unforced errors allowed the 37-time Masters 1000 champion to level at 4-4.

At one point Djokovic won 21 points in succession on his own serve, but he could not secure another break as Alcaraz dug deep to force the tie break. The world No. 1 began to release his emotions as he defied the Spanish crowd by surging into a 6-2 lead. Alcaraz saved three set points, including one with another delicious drop shot, but could not deny the Serb on the fourth as he finally took the opener after one hour and two minutes of pulsating tennis.

Alcaraz responded in the right manner in the second set and began to pose a greater threat on the return. The No. 7 seed earned a break opportunity with a quite sublime drop shot but Djokovic leaned on his serve to fend off the challenge and level at 3-3.

The contest remained a tight affair heading into the business end of the set with Djokovic seeing his own break opportunity snatched away before Alcaraz sent the crowd into raptures right at the death. The youngster earned three set points on the Serb’s serve and somehow made up the ground to reach his opponent’s angled flick at the net to guide the winner up the line and push the match into a decider.

The momentum was now with the teenager and he cranked up the heat in Game 4 but Djokovic somehow staved off three break points to reach parity at 2-2. It was the same story in the top seed’s next service game as he again swatted away two break points to level.

The Serb then had his own opportunity shut down as both players dug deep in pressure situations before Alcaraz saw match point brushed aside at 5-4 by his opponent’s sixth ace of the contest.

Fittingly, this instant classic of a semi-final went right to the wire with Alcaraz coming through a tie-break decider 7-5 to clinch his sixth straight top-10 win and become just the third teenager to defeat Djokovic.

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Zverev expects ‘extremely tough’ Alcaraz final after beating Tsitsipas

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Alcaraz backs up Nadal win to take down Djokovic and book place in Madrid Open final

May 7, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz produced another sensational display as he came from a set down to stun world No.1 Novak Djokovic and book a place in the Madrid Open final.

The 19-year-old became the first ever player to beat both Djokovic and Rafael Nadal at the same event on clay as he ousted the top seed 7-6(5) 5-7 6-7(5) after an enthralling three hours and 35 minutes inside the Manolo Santana Stadium.

Alcaraz is now the second-youngest player to reach a second Masters 1000 final following his title triumph in Miami earlier this year, and will meet either Stefanos Tsitsipas or defending champion, Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s showpiece.

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Alcaraz ‘confident’ ahead of Madrid final after beating Djokovic

There was no doubt this showdown was being earmarked as a true barometer of Djokovic’s current level after such a turbulent and disrupted start to his 2022 campaign. This was only the 20-time Grand Slam champion’s 11th match of the season and he had barely been troubled en route to this stage in the Spanish capital after easing past Gael Monfils and Hubert Hurkacz with a walkover against Andy Murray sandwiched in between.

That all changed in the first game as Alcaraz claimed an immediate break with a stunning backhand pass before fending off a break-back chance to move 2-0 up.

Djokovic responded with some highly efficient serving and continued to threaten the break back, but the fearless Spaniard hit clutch mode to stay in front until the eighth game when four unforced errors allowed the 37-time Masters 1000 champion to level at 4-4.

At one point Djokovic won 21 points in succession on his own serve, but he could not secure another break as Alcaraz dug deep to force the tie break. The world No. 1 began to release his emotions as he defied the Spanish crowd by surging into a 6-2 lead. Alcaraz saved three set points, including one with another delicious drop shot, but could not deny the Serb on the fourth as he finally took the opener after one hour and two minutes of pulsating tennis.

Alcaraz responded in the right manner in the second set and began to pose a greater threat on the return. The No. 7 seed earned a break opportunity with a quite sublime drop shot but Djokovic leaned on his serve to fend off the challenge and level at 3-3.

The contest remained a tight affair heading into the business end of the set with Djokovic seeing his own break opportunity snatched away before Alcaraz sent the crowd into raptures right at the death. The youngster earned three set points on the Serb’s serve and somehow made up the ground to reach his opponent’s angled flick at the net to guide the winner up the line and push the match into a decider.

The momentum was now with the teenager and he cranked up the heat in Game 4 but Djokovic somehow staved off three break points to reach parity at 2-2. It was the same story in the top seed’s next service game as he again swatted away two break points to level.

The Serb then had his own opportunity shut down as both players dug deep in pressure situations before Alcaraz saw match point brushed aside at 5-4 by his opponent’s sixth ace of the contest.

Fittingly, this instant classic of a semi-final went right to the wire with Alcaraz coming through a tie-break decider 7-5 to clinch his sixth straight top-10 win and become just the third teenager to defeat Djokovic.

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Djokovic on 'amazing' Alcaraz, Real Madrid stars attend Spanish clash – Madrid Open diary

May 7, 2022

A Spanish tennis feast

If you want to get an idea of just how much hype surrounded Rafael Nadal’s quarter-final match against Carlos Alcaraz, look no further than the list of high-profile attendees that came to the Caja Magica on Friday.

The King of Spain, Felipe VI, made his first appearance of the week at the Mutua Madrid Open, making sure he did not miss that all-Spanish blockbuster showdown.

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Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez returned to the tennis for a second day in a row, while former Spain international David Villa was also in attendance.

Real Madrid duo Toni Kroos and Vinicius were spotted in the stands, just two days after they helped Los Blancos claim a place in the Champions League final.

While Nadal is always a top attraction at any tournament, the Spanish crowd has also fully embraced Alcaraz, who has garnered a great deal of interest so far this week.

During his last-16 win over Cameron Norrie on Thursday, former Real Madrid and Brazil star Roberto Carlos raved about the teen phenom when talking to Teledeporte between games.

In his press conference on Friday, Alcaraz, who defeated Nadal in three sets despite rolling his ankle early in the second, was asked about the coolest part of receiving such attention, as well as the toughest part.

“It’s never easy to play in front of such a big person watching you, but I’m trying to not think about it,” said Alcaraz, who had an entire stadium singing ‘Happy birthday’ to him on Thursday.

“Just focus on the match, focus on what you have to do. The coolest part is that they know you. They know your game. Well, knowing you, it’s the coolest part. But, yeah, it’s tough at the same time.”

Up for the task

Before the start of the Madrid Open, former world No.1 Naomi Osaka said Alcaraz “genuinely made everyone excited about the ATP” – something she feels she hasn’t seen in a very long time.

On Friday, Alcaraz’s next opponent, Novak Djokovic, spoke about getting to know the Spaniard better this past week in Madrid, having trained with him at the Caja Magica.

Djokovic said Alcaraz’s development over the past six months has been “amazing”, and appears to be a big fan of the talented youngster.

“I must say that in all fronts, on and off the court, he’s great,” said Djokovic, giving a two thumbs up.

“I love to watch him play, as a lot of other players on the tour. He’s fantastic for our sport, no doubt. I think it’s great that we have a young player who is doing so well and giving a new fresh breath to the tennis world.

“Seeing that and knowing that he’s a very nice guy, very humble with good values, is a perfect combination.”

Does Alcaraz feel he has a responsibility on his shoulders as someone regarded by many as the future saviour of men’s tennis?

“I feel good to hear that, that the best say good words to you,” said the Murcia native.

“I don’t take that responsibility to do good results, to win every match. Just feels great to hear that, but, I mean, I know that I played well, that I’m playing well in this tournament, but I don’t think that I have to win every match, that I have to win all the tournaments.

“Just focus on every match, on every tournament, and focus on the work.”

Stef is in the zone

Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas he been flying under the radar in Madrid, playing great tennis and riding a wave of confidence that saw him successfully defend his title in Monte Carlo last month.

Tsitsipas, through to the semi-finals in the Spanish capital, paid credit to his sports psychologist, Kostas Pergantis, who is with him at the tournament this week, and who has been helping him maintain a state of calmness on and off the court.

“I feel centred, I feel my body relaxed. I don’t feel tightness when I play,” explained Tsitsipas, who beat Andrey Rublev in three sets on Friday.

“Something I’m working on. I feel sort of like in the zone and not really thinking of future or past, which is a great thing. It comes with work. It comes with daily routines that I do.”

It’s been evident on the court. When he was serving for the match against Rublev, Tsitsipas faced two break points but did not panic, instead he dug deeper and closed out the win moments later.

Asked about the kind of work he is doing to feel “in the zone”, Tsitsipas pointed to Pergantis, who was sat in his press conference at the back of the room.

“Person right there. Kostas. He helps me reach that,” said Tsitsipas.

“He’s the person I have been telling you about. He knows me since 10 years old? 12? Yeah, he saw me 12 years old in some courts in Greece. I was competing, playing tournaments.

“He was the first person to walk to see my match, and ended up seeing my dad; they were studying together in university many years ago before I was even born.

“Kostas is a psychologist. What else are you, Kostas? A sports psychologist and advisor?”

Kostas added “human being”.

“He’s a human being,” Tsitsipas continued.

“We have been working with Kostas for a long time, but it has been limited. But he’s someone that helps me with my routines, and we go through it every single day.

“I’m sure we are gonna travel many more tournaments this year.”

Stats of the day

Djokovic’s win over Hurkacz on Friday was his 30th at the Madrid Open. The Serb has now won at least 30 matches at all nine Masters 1000 tournaments.

Alcaraz leads the ATP tour this season with six top-10 victories.

Tsitsipas claimed a tour-leading 27th match-win of the season with his triumph over Andrey Rublev on Friday.

– – –

Watch the French Open live on Eurosport and discovery+.

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May 7, 2022

A Spanish tennis feast

If you want to get an idea of just how much hype surrounded Rafael Nadal’s quarter-final match against Carlos Alcaraz, look no further than the list of high-profile attendees that came to the Caja Magica on Friday.

The King of Spain, Felipe VI, made his first appearance of the week at the Mutua Madrid Open, making sure he did not miss that all-Spanish blockbuster showdown.

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Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez returned to the tennis for a second day in a row, while former Spain international David Villa was also in attendance.

Real Madrid duo Toni Kroos and Vinicius were spotted in the stands, just two days after they helped Los Blancos claim a place in the Champions League final.

While Nadal is always a top attraction at any tournament, the Spanish crowd has also fully embraced Alcaraz, who has garnered a great deal of interest so far this week.

During his last-16 win over Cameron Norrie on Thursday, former Real Madrid and Brazil star Roberto Carlos raved about the teen phenom when talking to Teledeporte between games.

In his press conference on Friday, Alcaraz, who defeated Nadal in three sets despite rolling his ankle early in the second, was asked about the coolest part of receiving such attention, as well as the toughest part.

“It’s never easy to play in front of such a big person watching you, but I’m trying to not think about it,” said Alcaraz, who had an entire stadium singing ‘Happy birthday’ to him on Thursday.

“Just focus on the match, focus on what you have to do. The coolest part is that they know you. They know your game. Well, knowing you, it’s the coolest part. But, yeah, it’s tough at the same time.”

Up for the task

Before the start of the Madrid Open, former world No.1 Naomi Osaka said Alcaraz “genuinely made everyone excited about the ATP” – something she feels she hasn’t seen in a very long time.

On Friday, Alcaraz’s next opponent, Novak Djokovic, spoke about getting to know the Spaniard better this past week in Madrid, having trained with him at the Caja Magica.

Djokovic said Alcaraz’s development over the past six months has been “amazing”, and appears to be a big fan of the talented youngster.

“I must say that in all fronts, on and off the court, he’s great,” said Djokovic, giving a two thumbs up.

“I love to watch him play, as a lot of other players on the tour. He’s fantastic for our sport, no doubt. I think it’s great that we have a young player who is doing so well and giving a new fresh breath to the tennis world.

“Seeing that and knowing that he’s a very nice guy, very humble with good values, is a perfect combination.”

Does Alcaraz feel he has a responsibility on his shoulders as someone regarded by many as the future saviour of men’s tennis?

“I feel good to hear that, that the best say good words to you,” said the Murcia native.

“I don’t take that responsibility to do good results, to win every match. Just feels great to hear that, but, I mean, I know that I played well, that I’m playing well in this tournament, but I don’t think that I have to win every match, that I have to win all the tournaments.

“Just focus on every match, on every tournament, and focus on the work.”

Stef is in the zone

Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas he been flying under the radar in Madrid, playing great tennis and riding a wave of confidence that saw him successfully defend his title in Monte Carlo last month.

Tsitsipas, through to the semi-finals in the Spanish capital, paid credit to his sports psychologist, Kostas Pergantis, who is with him at the tournament this week, and who has been helping him maintain a state of calmness on and off the court.

“I feel centred, I feel my body relaxed. I don’t feel tightness when I play,” explained Tsitsipas, who beat Andrey Rublev in three sets on Friday.

“Something I’m working on. I feel sort of like in the zone and not really thinking of future or past, which is a great thing. It comes with work. It comes with daily routines that I do.”

It’s been evident on the court. When he was serving for the match against Rublev, Tsitsipas faced two break points but did not panic, instead he dug deeper and closed out the win moments later.

Asked about the kind of work he is doing to feel “in the zone”, Tsitsipas pointed to Pergantis, who was sat in his press conference at the back of the room.

“Person right there. Kostas. He helps me reach that,” said Tsitsipas.

“He’s the person I have been telling you about. He knows me since 10 years old? 12? Yeah, he saw me 12 years old in some courts in Greece. I was competing, playing tournaments.

“He was the first person to walk to see my match, and ended up seeing my dad; they were studying together in university many years ago before I was even born.

“Kostas is a psychologist. What else are you, Kostas? A sports psychologist and advisor?”

Kostas added “human being”.

“He’s a human being,” Tsitsipas continued.

“We have been working with Kostas for a long time, but it has been limited. But he’s someone that helps me with my routines, and we go through it every single day.

“I’m sure we are gonna travel many more tournaments this year.”

Stats of the day

Djokovic’s win over Hurkacz on Friday was his 30th at the Madrid Open. The Serb has now won at least 30 matches at all nine Masters 1000 tournaments.

Alcaraz leads the ATP tour this season with six top-10 victories.

Tsitsipas claimed a tour-leading 27th match-win of the season with his triumph over Andrey Rublev on Friday.

– – –

Watch the French Open live on Eurosport and discovery+.

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