Melbourne: World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz survived a stern test from 19th seed Tommy Paul to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, prevailing 7-6(6), 6-4, 7-5 on Sunday at Rod Laver Arena.
Alcaraz, unbeaten in 12 sets so far this fortnight, faced an early challenge as Paul jumped to a 4-2 lead in the opening set. The American, who holds two career wins against the Spaniard, tested Alcaraz with his flat, powerful shots. However, the top seed recovered to claim the first set in a tense tie-break, capitalising on a crucial double fault from Paul at 6-7.
“I think it was a really high level of tennis from both sides, but I’m just really happy that I got it in straight sets,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “I stayed there all the time, knew I was going to have my chances, and I tried to take them.”
The 22-year-old fired 35 winners during his 2-hour 44-minute victory, demonstrating a blend of spin and power that left the Melbourne crowd in awe. A break in the third game of the second set allowed Alcaraz to build momentum, which he carried through to the decisive moments of the third set, claiming his third break before serving out the match.
With this win, Alcaraz will face either home favourite Alex de Minaur or Alexander Bublik in the quarter-finals. He also remains on track to become the youngest man to complete a Career Grand Slam, a record currently held by Rafael Nadal.
Other Women’s Action:
Earlier, two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka defeated Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko 6-1, 7-6(7-1) and will meet 18-year-old American Jovic in the quarter-finals, who impressed with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Yulia Putintseva.
Meanwhile, two-time champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from her third-round match against home qualifier Maddison Inglis due to a recurring left abdominal injury. “I thought I could push through it,” Osaka said, acknowledging her history with the issue.
Source: ATP, BBC
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