Carlos Alcaraz is looking to emulate Juan Carlos Ferrero’s best result in Hamburg after reaching the semi-finals.
The Spaniard is looking to better his coach’s best result at the event with Ferrero reaching the final in 2001.
Should Alcaraz win Hamburg he will jump inside the World’s top five for the first time and the top seed is on target to do just that after a tough opening round against Nicola Kuhn.
Since then Alcaraz has produced convincing performances against Filip Krajinovic and more recently Karen Khachanov, where he only lost two games.
After the match against Khachanov, the 19 year-old praised his aggressive style of play and explained what it would mean to equal Ferrero’s result, “I’m training every day to be solid and at the same time to be aggressive, That is my game,” he told the ATP website.
“I played unbelievable today, probably one of my best matches this year. I’m pretty happy with the performance that I’m playing in this tournament. Yesterday was amazing as well.
“I will try to do my best in the semi-finals to be able to do the same result as Juan Carlos, and of course trying to fight into the final. Of course to beat Juan Carlos, to try to win this tournament means a lot.
“If I win this tournament, I will make jokes to him that I am better than him. It would be amazing.”
Alcaraz will play Alex Molcan in the last four as he remains on course for a place at this year’s Nitto ATP Finals.
Should the Spaniard win the title this week it will be his fifth title of the season and fourth on clay.
The meeting between Alcaraz and Molcan will be their first meeting of their career and will be the second semi-final in Hamburg.
In the other semi-final it will be Lorenzo Musetti taking on Bastad champion Francisco Cerundolo which starts at 14:30 BST.
