Alcaraz, who turned 19 on Thursday, faced compatriot Rafael Nadal for the third time, 16 years older than him. Alcaraz has not yet had any success against the 21-time Grand Slam winner, but is now actively starting in Madrid.
The Spaniard – the youngest player to reach the semi-finals in Madrid – won the first set 6-2. Alcaraz was already dreaming of winning, but he fell hard on the ground at the start of the second set. A physical therapist should come to the site to treat his ankle.
Nadal – a five-time winner in Madrid – came to catch a glimpse of his compatriot, but after that he didn’t feel much pity on the field. He pulled the card to himself in the second set 6-1.
But Alcaraz managed to pull himself out and Nadal, who had just come back from a rib injury, to score his first defeat. The great promise of tennis has already won the clay-court championships in Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona and the Masters in Miami this season.
In the semi-finals, Alcaraz, ranked No. 1 in the world, will face Novak Djokovic. The 34-year-old Serbian hasn’t had major issues with Paul Hubert Hurkacz (ATP 14). This is only the fourth tournament of the season for Djokovic. He is chasing his fourth title in Madrid.
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