The Murcian tennis player Carlos Alcaraz took this Thursday a laborious revenge against the American Tommy Paul in the round of 16 of the Cincinnati Masters 1000, where Novak Djokovic increased his immaculate balance of 19 victories against Gael Monfils, record in the ATP.
If the Serbian only needed 68 minutes to dispatch the Frenchman, Alcaraz had to row for three hours and nine minutes to end a duel with long stoppages due to rain 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (0/7 ) and 6-3.
Paul once again showed that he is one of the tennis players who chokes on the world number one the most after eliminating him two consecutive years at the Canadian Open, the last time just a week ago.
“I told everyone that I really wanted to win since I lost in Toronto,” Alcaraz stressed. “It was a very tough game. We were playing a very close game before the rain came. But I think I did quite well while waiting in the gym,” said the Spaniard.
Alcaraz will clash in the quarterfinals against the Australian Max Purcell, number 70 in the world ranking and a big surprise in Cincinnati since he dispatched the Norwegian Casper Ruud in the second round.
After a hectic debut against Jordan Thompson, Alcaraz was put to the test again by Paul who, with a 3-5 lead, served to win the first set.
The Spaniard reacted in time and took the set in the ‘tiebreak’ in the middle of a strong wind that made it difficult to dominate from the service.
In the second set, Paul saved three match points and leveled the match, leaving the Spaniard blank in the tiebreak.
Alcaraz caught her breath by breaking at the start of the deciding set before rain caused interruptions of more than two hours.
On the return, Alcaraz settled the clash with a last break and continued advancing towards the final, which would ensure that he would maintain the world number one at the start of the US Open (August 28-September 10).
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