Monday, 21 August 2023
Saturday, 19 August 2023
ALCARAZ ENDS PURCELL'S DREAM CINCINNATI RUN | DJOKOVIC CRUSHES FRITZ
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| AP |
World number one Carlos Alcaraz ended Australian qualifier Max Purcell's dream run with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win to reach the Cincinnati Open semi-finals on Friday, while Novak Djokovic demolished top American Taylor Fritz 6-0 6-4.
The 70th-ranked Purcell has produced some of the best tennis of his career recently and at the U.S. Open tune-up event he took down French Open finalist Casper Ruud and three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland.
But Alcaraz's superb form was too much to overcome as the twice Grand Slam winner kept his cool after a frustrating opening set, unleashing 30 winners in the match on Centre Court.
Friday, 18 August 2023
DJOKOVIC EASES PAST MONFILS, ALCARAZ HOLDS OFF PAUL IN CINCINNATI
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| USA TODAY Sports |
Novak Djokovic cruised past Gael Monfils and Carlos Alcaraz fended off in-form American Tommy Paul to reach the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals on Thursday while other top seeds Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas were sent packing.
Djokovic, twice a winner in Cincinnati, dominated the baseline rallies in his 6-3 6-2 win over Monfils and extended his perfect record against the Frenchman to 19-0 - the most lopsided unbeaten ATP head-to-head record in the Open Era.
The Serbian made the most of a loose service game from Monfils and broke to love at 5-3 in the first set to close it out.
After racing to a 5-0 lead in the second he faltered on his first attempt to serve it out, but completed the win two games later in an hour and eight minutes. Djokovic will next face home favorite Taylor Fritz.
ALCARAZ HOLDS OFF PAUL AS MEDVEDEV, TSITSIPAS EXIT CINCINNATI
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| USA TODAY Sports |
World number one Carlos Alcaraz fended off in-form American Tommy Paul 7-6(6) 6-7(0) 6-3 to reach the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals on Thursday as other top seeds Daniil Medvedev and Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas were sent packing.
Alcaraz had not looked like himself in an uneven third round performance on Tuesday but was firing on all cylinders on Thursday as he harnessed his mighty forehand to chip away at Paul's defences in the rain-interrupted battle.
Paul cracked the code to beat the 20-year-old Spaniard earlier this month in Toronto but a handful more errors from the 14th seed this time around helped Alcaraz get the upper hand.