Spanish player Carlos Alcaraz (ATP: 4) has reached the first Grand Slam final of his career, after defeating American Frances Tiafoe (ATP: 26) with a score of 3-2. The impressive performance of the 19-year-old tennis player at the US Open could have a double celebration: he will also become the number one in the ranking if he defeats Casper Ruud (ATP: 7) in the title match.
The series had started uphill for 'Carlitos', as he lost the first set in a tie-break (6-8), but he recovered in the second game and leveled the match with a resounding 6-3. In the third set, the Spaniard once again showed his effectiveness: he broke his opponent's serve three times and won 6-1.
However, Frances Tiafoe did not give up and equalized the match with a 6-7 (5-7), forcing an additional set for the tiebreaker. Finally, in the fifth set, Carlos Alcaraz once again broke his opponent's serve three times and secured victory with a score of 6-3, unleashing the joy of the fans at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
After the match, the Spanish player revealed his impressions about the grueling duel, which is the third consecutive one he has won in five sets at this US Open. "I made a lot of mistakes in the fourth set. I could taste victory, but there was still more to come. We are in a semifinal, we couldn't let ourselves down, we had to fight and endure physically whatever it took. I was going to resist, they would have had to take me out on a stretcher," explained the tennis player to ESPN.
Similarly, he referred to the Grand Slam final, which could be the first one of his career. "It's not the time to let ourselves be carried away by previous results, Casper already knows what it's like to play in a final, so he will take advantage of his experience. I will try to show my style and my characteristics," said Alcaraz.
Remember that the final of the US Open will be held this Sunday, September 11th, and Carlos is considered the favorite against Ruud (they last faced each other at the ATP Miami in April, and the Spanish player won 2-0). Similarly, both athletes not only aim to win the trophy, but the winner will also become the new number one in the ATP ranking.