Cincinnati Masters: Alcaraz saves match point to make final, retain world No 1 ranking

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz has yet again won a match this week the hard way, defeating Hubert Hurkacz in three sets to make the final of the Cincinnati Masters on Saturday afternoon.

The 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 win also ensures that Alcaraz will retain his world No 1 ranking, and enter the US Open as the top seed.

Yet again, Alcaraz came close to crashing out of the tournament, facing a match point in the second set before going on to win the match in a decider—his fourth consecutive three-set match in Cincinnati this week.

Fast start by Hurkacz forces yet another Alcaraz comeback

For the second match in a row, Carlos Alcaraz played a weak first set, dropping the opening stanza 6-2 to Hurbert Hurkacz.

The Spaniard was poor behind his serve, making less than half his first serves, and splitting the points when he did land a first serve with Hurkacz. Alcaraz was also more sedate than usual, getting out-hit by Hurkacz, eight winners to 14.

The Pole, on the other hand, was impressive under pressure. He faced five break points, and came up with first serves on all five, saving each to win the set comfortably.

This would be a trend that continued throughout the second set, with Hurkacz making first serves on the first eight break points he faced to save all of them.

Alcaraz faces match point in second set

Despite dropping the first set and finding no way through Hubert Hurkacz’s serve, Carlos Alcaraz remained surprisingly jovial on court.

At one stage, the 20-year-old pantomimed banging his head against the back wall, following a missed chance on break point against his opponent. At other times, it looked as though Alcaraz was going to get the giggles, following exchanges with Juan Carlos Ferrero.

It seemed as though the Spaniard’s approach to this match was going to backfire, with Alcaraz facing a match point at 4-5, 30-40 on his own serve. However, the other side of the world No 1 was also there—his passionate desire to win, as he ripped out three points in a row to win the game against a tight Hurkacz.

The set ultimately found its way to a tiebreak, with Alcaraz having won the preceded four breakers between the pair.

Fifth tiebreak win over Hurkacz shifts momentum

Again, Carlos Alcaraz found himself in hot water in the second set tiebreak, going down 1-4 courtesy of some brilliant shot-making by Hurkacz.

However, cometh the man, cometh the hour.

From 1-4 down, Alcaraz plundered six straight points to win the second set, bellowing with all his strength as the final point was sealed. In this moment, it felt as though the outcome of the match was decided as well—and sure enough, the top seed went on to claim the deciding set 6-3 in straight forward fashion.

After the match, Alcaraz commented just how valuable these kinds of matches are for his development as a player:

“I mean, it’s been a really tough tournament. All matches to the third set. Really happy to win these kind of matches, to stay strong mentally.

“To win these kind of matches is really good for me. I grew up a lot thanks to these kind of matches.”

The win means that Alcaraz will play either Novak Djokovic or Alexander Zverev in the Cincinnati Masters final on Sunday, having secured the world No 1 ranking by making the final.

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