The Spaniard, chasing an encore after last year’s victory, won 6-4 6-3 and is now waiting for the winner from Karatsev-Struff
Carlos Alcaraz is the first finalist of the Masters 1000 in Madrid: on his 20th birthday the Spaniard beats Borna Coric 6-4 6-3 without too many problems and respects the forecast, hitting the final in a tournament he already won last year year, demolishing Zverev after eliminating Nadal (in the quarterfinals) and Djokovic (in the semifinals). Easier route this year for the boy from Murcia. At 8 pm the other semifinal between the Russian Karatsev and the German Struff.
the match
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Coric has his sliding door with the 3-1 ball (response sent into the net) wasted in the fourth game. From that moment Alcaraz takes the chair and scores 3 consecutive games, up to 4-2 with a break lead, kept by Carlos who closes the set 6-4. In the second part, the Spaniard raises the level and snatches two consecutive breaks (leaving one for his opponent). The counter-bumper with which he mocks Coric at the beginning of the fifth game is splendid, but in general Alcaraz’s tennis becomes much more creative in the second set. Down 5-3 the Croatian has to serve to stay in the game, but he pays off all the efforts this week (he played a 3 and a half hour match against Davidovich). Coric also misses a sensational smash on 15-15 and shuts down, giving Alcaraz the fourth final of a 1000 in his career (he won the first 3).