Rio Open: Alcaraz wins seventh match in a row to reach semis

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the top seed and world No 2, reached the semi-finals of the Rio Open by defeating Serb Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 7-6 at the Jockey Club Brasileiro in Rio de Janeiro on Friday.

Alcaraz went down a break in both the sets bout bounced back each time to complete the win in one hour and 54 minutes.

Alcaraz, the reigning US Open champion, improved to 7-0 for the season with the win. The 19-year-old won the Argentina Open last week in his first tournament of the year. He also improved to 3-0 lifetime over Lajovic, whom he also beat en route to the Buenos Aires title last week.

“That’s the point… to find a way to come back against a tough opponent,” Alcaraz said as quoted by the ATP Tour. “I had to be really focussed and be there all the time waiting for my chances.”

Earlier in the tournament, the 19-year-old Spaniard had won against Brazilian wildcard Mateus De Carvalho Cardoso Alves (6-4, 6-4) and edged out Italian Fabio Fognini (6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4).

Alcaraz will play the winner of the match between Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry and Argentinian Sebastian Baez, the No 6 seed, next.

Lajovic, ranked No 80, had defeated Argentine Diego Schwartzman, the No 5 seed (6-1, 6-4) and Laslo Djere (6-2, 6-4) in the previous rounds of the Brazilian Open.

Rio de Janeiro ATP500, other quarter-final results (Jockey Club Brasileiro, clay, USD 2.013.940, most recent results first):

• Cameron Norrie (2) beat Hugo Dellien: 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
• Bernabe Zapata Miralles beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas (7): 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
• Nicolas Jarry vs. Sebastian Baez

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