Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (16th in the world) qualified for the final of the Masters 1000 in Miami on Friday, beating 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (6/2) Pole Hubert Hurkacz (10th) who was the title holder.
The 18-year-old phenomenon, semi-finalist two weeks ago in Indian Wells, only beaten by Rafael Nadal, is following in the footsteps of his glorious elder, since he has become the second youngest player to reach this stage of the test, after … the Majorcan in 2005. If he wins Sunday, against the Norwegian Casper Ruud (8th), he will however become the youngest winner of the tournament, since Nadal had lost against Roger Federer at the time . Such a scenario would only act on the irresistible rise of Alcaraz, revealed in worldview six months ago at the US Open where he reached the quarters, eliminating in passing the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, then 3rd in the world, after an epic struggle lasting more than four hours.
Read alsoTennis: Alcaraz dominates Kecmanovic, after a thriller, an appointment for the future (video)
Since then, he has won the tournament in Rio de Janeiro in February, his second on the circuit after the more modest one in Umag (Croatia) last summer. Faced with Hurkacz, it was another duel of sluggers that he engaged in, after the superb battle won the day before at the expense of the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, who nevertheless led 5-3 in the tie break of the third set. This time no “remontada”, because Alcaraz gave his rival little opportunity to control the game. Everyone kept their serve in the first set. In the decisive game, Hurkacz managed a mini-break to lead 4-2, but Alcaraz erased it, offered a set point on an exceptional uncrossed drop shot, which he converted with a vicious return in the feet from the Pole, whose half-volley failed in the net.
Read alsoTennis: the moving kiss from Alcaraz to Ferrero
Frustrated, the 25-year-old Pole, who dreamed of becoming the fifth player to retain his title in Florida, after Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, threw his racket out of spite. But he didn’t give up in the second set, the level of the game of which rose again, with sumptuous points, like these exchanges at the net at 5-5 where the two competed in mischief. Again no break was successful, so it ended in the tie-break, during which Alcaraz, more enterprising and diabolical in defense, took the lead, to the chagrin of Hurkacz, annoyed.
