Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Tommy Paul qualified for the knockout stages of the Australian Open, overall without difficulty even if the Spaniard dropped a set on the way.
Like Jannik Sinner Thursday or Novak Djokovic in his first two games, Carlos Alcaraz also left a set on the way to the knockout stages of the Australian Open. Opposed to Portuguese Nuno Borges, 33rd in the world, to whom he had left only four games on the land of Barcelona in 2023, the world n ° 3 has established itself in four rounds and 2h56 of play: 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2, without ever losing its service. Alcaraz pocketed the first set in breakage at 0-0 and 4-2, then the second in breakant at 4-4.
But things were a bit bitten for Spanish in the third round. He first had to save two 2-0 bullets, and even a 6-5 set ball. Everything was finally in the decisive game, which the Portuguese has mastered perfectly by winning it 7-3. But Borges did not really have time to believe in a possible comeback. From his first service game in the fourth set, Alcaraz Breaké, then the Spaniard flew away, leading 4-1 then 5-2. The world n ° 3 even signed a last break at 5-2, winning on his first match ball, and here he is in the second week, where Jack Draper or Aleksandar Vukic, who compete during the Night-Trade, is waiting for him.
Zverev and Paul hold their rank
Alexander Zverev, meanwhile, only needed two hours to reach the knockout stages. The world n ° 2 has disposed without trembling from the British Jacob Fearnley, the fall of Nick Kyrgios and Arthur Cazaux. The German player did not fall into the trap and won 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, even if he has not always been serene on his service. Zverev won the first set in Breakant at 3-2. In the second, he broke at 3-3 and thought he had done the hardest, but Fearnley rocked him in stride (4-4), before losing his service again, then the set. Same scenario in the third round, where the two players exchanged the breaks from 1-1 to 3-2. At 4-2 in his favor, Zverev missed four 5-2 bullets, but he ended up concluding at 5-4, on his first match ball. It is a Frenchman who awaits him the next round, Ugo Humbert or Arthur fils, for an eighth finals that promises enormously.
Another seeded at the rendezvous this Friday: Tommy Paul, the world n ° 11. The American eliminated the Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena (57th) on the score of 7-6, 6-2, 6-0 in 2h23. The first set was the most disputed, Paul leading 3-0 then 4-2, before being equalized at 4-4, then win 7-0 in the decisive game. The hardest part was made for the former semi-finalist of the tournament, which then unrolled his tennis, no longer losing any game from 2-2 in the second set. Next opponent: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (66th), who won his second match in five sets in a row, against Jakus Mensik (48th).
