Making his debut in Hard Rock Stadium at the Miami Open presented by Itau, Carlos Alcaraz continued his run of torrid tennis with a 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(5) quarter-final victory over Miomir Kecmanovic on Thursday evening.
Both men were competing in consecutive ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finals following deep runs in Indian Wells, and the Spaniard has now equalled his career-best showing at that level by again reaching the final four. Alcaraz did not have a Miami win to his name entering this year's event, but has now strung together four in a row to improve his record on the season to a red-hot 16-2.
Kecmanovic provided a stern test for the 18-year-old, who surrendered a set for the first time in the tournament. But after racing through the opening three games of the match and recovering a late mini-break in the opening tie-break, the Serb could not get over the line against the all-action Alcaraz.
After some early miscues, the Spaniard locked in early in the second set as he turned the tables on his opponent to take a 3-0 lead of his own. Both men were able to attack effectively on serve as the rest of the set did not see a break point, until Alcaraz saved one in serving out the set. A whipped forehand winner wiped out the opportunity and helped force a final set.
The deciding set did not see a single break point, though both men twice battled through 30/30, including in consecutive games late in the set. Twice down a mini-break at 0-2 and 2-4 in the decisive tie-break, Alcaraz won the final four points of the match to advance, sealing the deal in spectacular fashion with a drop shot and pushed passing shot before dropping to his knees in celebration.
Following the victory, he signed the camera for his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and Ferrero's father Eduardo, who recently passed away, keeping the former World No. 1 from travelling to Miami.
Alcaraz will now have less than 24 hours to recover before returning to the stadium court to face defending champion Hubert Hurkacz, a 7-6(7), 6-3 winner over World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev earlier on Thursday.
from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/OgGlUPV
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