ATP Barcelona – Carlos Alcaraz dismisses Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter after an intense fight, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2

And 1, and 2, and 3 defeats in as many matches for Stefanos Tsitsipas against Carlos Alcaraz. After their daunting duel at the US Open 2021, then the clear victory of the Spaniard in Miami a few weeks ago, Alcaraz this time needed three sets to defeat the Greek, but it was he who played to scare himself in a match that he very often flew over (6-4, 5-7, 6-2). His victory, acquired in 2h11, allows him to reach the semi-finals for the first time in Barcelona, ​​where he will meet the Australian Alex De Minaur.

Alcaraz finds the high altitudes. Defeated at the start of Monte Carlo, the Spaniard approached a first title in Catalonia, delivering, apart from a big air hole in the second set, a recital against number 5 whom he definitely likes to upset. . In front of an audience committed to his cause, he made the pleasure of a game last, despite himself, that he could have concluded at lightning speed. In a first set where the servers first laid down the law, it was he who accelerated first, to punish and break at 4-4 a Tsitsipas who was remarkably silent at first, given the course of the match.

A one-sided second set, then Alcaraz cracked

Very easily, on his face-off, he pocketed the first round, in particular by continuing his festival of delicious drop shots. Then he started a mind-blowing streak, where he made his five-year-old child look like a child, chaining wonderful strikes, breaking to lead 2-1, before taking a second break lead against a speechless opponent, and no way to thwart the mastery of Juan Carlos Ferrero’s protege. Who, inexplicably, shot himself in the foot.

While nothing seemed to be able to upset him at 4-1, he began to chain errors, and saw his opponent gradually come back to the score. An offering for Tsitsipas, who tightened the game, showed himself to be more solid and finally came back from the devil Vauvert. Sequentially regaining his sharp backhand, he took his opponent’s service one last time to afford a third set. Where he failed to exist.

He finally let go of his frustration, attacking the referee in particular, while Alcaraz, again sickening, put his foot back on the accelerator to confirm, this time, the double-break and lead 4-0 . On the court in the name of his illustrious compatriot at 21 Grand Slams, he however made the public tremble by conceding two break points at 4-1. Except that this time, the 18-year-old held on before finishing the job, in front of a delighted audience, who sang to his glory. Now guaranteed to enter the top 10, he will also try to obtain a third title, already, this season. It will even be necessary to pass the Australian obstacle which awaits it in half.