Carlos Alcaraz Glides Into French Open Quarterfinals - UBITENNIS

Carlos Alcaraz Glides Into French Open Quarterfinals

The record-breaking teen was hardly ever troubled by Khachanov’s power and accomplished a comfortable 6-1 6-4 6-4 victory

By Staff
5 Min Read
Carlos Alcaraz - Roland Garros 2022 (foto Roberto dell'Olivo)

By Kingsley Elliot Kaye

In the last match of the fourth round Karen Khachanov proved that his main weapons, service and forehand, were not suited to menace Carlos Alcaraz. However, after hardly showing up in the first set he put up a strenuous battle in the second and third set.  

Alcaraz rushed out from the blocks assertively, holding his first service game to love and powering down an ace and a smash. Then he broke the Russian’s service with the same ease he had held his. 

In the fourth game, at 30 all, Khachanov at last accomplished his favourite scheme with a first serve followed by an inside-in forehand, but it was not enough to make up for his too many unforced errors and avoid a second break. 

Alcaraz soared to 5-0. The point scorecard read 21-6.

Serving to avoid a bagel, Khachanov found a few first serves and hammered a forehand and a backhand to get rapid points in a three-shot combo. Showing that consistent serving was the only key to try and keep up . 

Alcaraz closed the first set 61 in 26 minutes, executing a serve and volley pattern. 

“My style is to be aggressive, so I try to go to the net as many times as I can,” said Alcaraz. 

Khachanov held the first game of the second set serving effectively and in the next game climbed to 30 on Alcaraz’s serve, with a dropshot and a winning backhand. 

On the next service game of the Russian, Alcaraz tried to blindfold Khachanov’s three shot combo by hitting more aggressive returns and not losing ground. A daring tactic, but still costly in terms of unforced errors. For the first time Khachanov nosed ahead, enjoying a 2-1 lead.

In the fourth game Khachanov earned an ovation with a delightfully short sliced crosscourt backhand. It wasn’t enough to edge close to any break point.

It’s never easy to dominate a rally against Alcaraz, Khachanov occasionally was succeeding in the endeavour and held on.

In the seventh game the Spaniard’s determination not to give way on first serves paved the way to a breakpoint. He converted it after a tough, wrestled rally by slashing a sliced back hand along the line which landed in the baseline corner and skidded away, uncontrollable for Khachanov.

One break was enough. At 5-4 Alcaraz enjoyed his favourite gameplan when serving for the set or the match, charging into the net. It had taken him one hour and quarter to seal a two-set lead. 

In the third set Alcaraz took the break in the third game, displaying at full his capacity of turning scrambling into aggression.

But there he got a little overconfident, or perhaps simply enjoying trying out a few overly extravagant shots. He had to refocus to save three break points, but he failed, and Khachanov broke even.

Khachanov saved a break point in the seventh game with an excellent back-hand passing shot, but Alcaraz earned a second one and then secured the break with a tweener, the point of the tournament so far. 

Again, he toyed around a little too much on serve, because Khachanov was in turn enjoying fighting on.  The Spaniard had to save two break points before holding.  

Khachanov heroically saved five match points in the ninth game, in no hurry to reach the locker room, and forced Alcaraz to serve the match out. This time he did it the safer way, just powering from the back. It did the job.

“It was a great match. I had to be really focused from the beginning to the end, to start very aggressive dominating and trying to keep the level, my style, during the whole match.” said Alcaraz. 

The record-breaking 19-year-old will next face Sasha Zverev. If the German is able to leave behind the nightmarish memories of his 6-1 6-3 loss in the Madrid Open final and exploit his strengths at the fullest, it could be some contest. 

Leave a comment