Cincinnati, OH – World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz has expressed immense pride in his consistent daily improvement throughout the Cincinnati Open, a factor he credits for his advance to the tournament’s quarter-finals. Following his victory over Italian Luca Nardi, Alcaraz highlighted his dedication to getting “better every day, after every practice and every match.”
“I think this match was the best so far for me in this tournament,” Alcaraz stated in his on-court interview. “At the beginning of the tournament, I just really wanted to get better every day, after every practice and every match. I think I’m doing it, which I’m really proud about. I’m just really happy with the way I felt the ball today and the way that I moved.”
Dominant Performance Against Nardi
Alcaraz secured his spot in the last eight with a convincing 6-1, 6-4 win over lucky loser Luca Nardi. The Spaniard demonstrated a strong start, winning 13 of the first 14 points and clinching the opening set in just 27 minutes.
Despite a brief blip in the second set where he trailed 2-4, Alcaraz quickly regained control, tallying four consecutive games to close out the match in 80 minutes. A pivotal moment came during a lengthy, eight-deuce game at 4-4 in the second set, where Nardi’s consecutive double faults allowed Alcaraz to serve for the match.
Looking Ahead to the Quarter-Finals
Alcaraz, a 21-time tour-level titlist, is seeking his maiden Cincinnati Open crown, having reached the final in 2023 before a memorable loss to Novak Djokovic. His impressive season record stands at 51-6, including five titles.
The Spaniard’s next challenge will be against the ninth seed, Andrey Rublev. This upcoming clash will mark their first meeting on outdoor hard courts, though Alcaraz holds a 3-1 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, including a recent four-set victory at Wimbledon. Their most recent encounter saw Rublev defeat Alcaraz in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Madrid Open.
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