10 of the best wins from match point down in 2022: No 7: Alcaraz beats Ramos-Vinolas, French Open, second round
In part 7 of our 10-part series looking at the best escapes in 2022, we examine Carlos Alcaraz’s victory over Albert Ramos-Vinolas at Roland-Garros
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In 2022, a total of 140 matches on the ATP/WTA Tours were won from match point down; 81 on the men’s side and 59 on the women’s side. Two men – Jannik Sinner and Dominic Thiem – did it four times while two women – Petra Kvitova and Jessica Pegula managed it on a Tour-topping three occasions.
Tennis Majors has picked out 10 of the best of those 140 matches, where one player escaped from the jaws of defeat to claim an unlikely victory.
No 7: French Open, second round: Carlos Alcaraz beats Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-7(7), 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4
Tired-looking Alcaraz survives huge scare
Remarkably, the 19-year-old Alcaraz arrived at Roland-Garros competing for favouritism alongside Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, having beaten both men on the way to winning in Madrid.
But against Ramos-Vinolas, the teenager looked tired, the burden of being tipped for the title weighing heavily on his shoulders.
At 5-4 in the fourth set, Ramos-Vinolas held match point on his own serve but Alcaraz saved it with a smash and broke serve as his fellow Spaniard showed the first signs of crumbling.
In the fifth set he looked in serious trouble, his tank seemingly empty at 3-0 down. But somehow he found the energy to fight back and he clinched a remarkable victory, showing the kind of resilience that would serve him well later in the year.
