The Spaniard saves match point and beats Hurkacz in three sets to opt for the seventh title of the year and reach number one at the US Open
MADRID, 20 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz left another match to remember this Saturday in the Cincinnati tournament, the seventh Masters 1,000 of the season, by coming back (2-6, 7-6(4), 6-3) to the Polish Hubert Hurkacz to reach the final, a step that assures him the number one in the world for the US Open.
Alcaraz shone again on a tennis court, in a difficult week in Ohio that is not capable of knocking the Spaniard down. The Murcian has victories of a thousand colors in Cincy and in the semifinals he touched a new comeback, this time saving match point in the second set to force the ‘tie-break’ and later, the third set.
The Wimbledon champion began losing his serve in the first set and Hurkacz defended well, saving the three ‘break’ balls that the Murcian had. In the second act, the Pole continued enduring the attacks of an Alcaraz unable to add the ‘break’ and who had to save a vital serve on that match point.
The Spaniard forced sudden death, but added even more drama and epic to the match, capable of turning around a 1-4 deficit to end up forcing the third set. The roar of Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil made a dent in a Hurkacz without the same confidence to defend delicate moments and that he lost his serve in the fourth game.
Alcaraz seized his moment and took a decisive advantage, which he did not let go to prevent Cincinnati from demanding more of him this time. The Murcian will play his eighth final of the season, in 12 tournaments played, and will seek his seventh title in 2023, against the Serbian Novak Djokovic or the German Alexander Zverev.
On the other hand, the 20-year-old Spanish player secured world number one for a few more weeks, a battle he enjoys and has been dealing with Djokovic, whatever happens in the final. Thus, Alcaraz will be the first seed in the US Open, fourth and last ‘Grand Slam’ of the year where he defends the title.