Carlos Alcaraz advances at Australian Open
Carlos Alcaraz has edged closer to becoming the youngest man ever to complete the career Grand Slam of all four major crowns after a win at the Australian Open, reports BritPanorama.
The world number one equalled his best run in the competition after defeating Tommy Paul in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals. Alcaraz has yet to drop a set at Melbourne Park and continues to demonstrate his capability on the court.
During the match, Alcaraz overcame a few tricky moments, securing a 7-6 (6), 6-4, 7-5 victory over the American. He initially faced a challenge, trailing 4-2 in the opening set before mounting a successful comeback. The game experienced an interruption due to a medical emergency in the crowd at a pivotal moment during the tie-break.
Paul double-faulted on Alcaraz’s second set point, allowing the Spaniard to solidify his victory. With this match, Alcaraz also set a personal record by reaching his 14th slam quarter-final before turning 23, surpassing the previous records held by Bjorn Borg and Boris Becker. Following the match, Alcaraz acknowledged the difficulties posed by Paul, stating, “I knew I was going to have my chances. Overall it’s been a really high level of tennis from both sides, I’m just really happy I got it in straight sets.”
The 22-year-old expressed satisfaction with his first serves, which he has been refining over time. Alcaraz averaged 70% in first serves against Paul, a figure slightly above his overall tournament average. He noted, “I’m surprising myself. The serve is something that I’ve been working on since a long time ago. I’m just really happy to see the improvement of the serve.”
Looking ahead, Alcaraz is set to face either home favourite Alex De Minaur or Alexander Bublik in the next round. This marks the third consecutive year he has reached this stage at the Australian Open, after having been eliminated by Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic in the previous tournaments.
As the tournament progresses, the Spanish star continues to embody the excitement surrounding young talent in tennis, reminding fans and analysts alike of the shifting dynamics in the sport’s hierarchy.
