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| USA TODAY Sports |
Carlos Alcaraz fended off a match point en route to a 2-6 7-6(4) 6-3 win over Hubert Hurkacz on Saturday to reach the Cincinnati Open final, where he will meet Novak Djokovic in a rematch of last month's riveting Wimbledon final.
The Spanish world number one has lived dangerously since capturing his second Grand Slam title at the All-England Club, needing three sets in all his matches in Ohio, including his quarter-final win over qualifier Max Purcell.
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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.
