The Canadian Open quarter-final stage witnessed unexpected turns as top-tier players Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev faced defeat in Toronto.
In a surprising turn of events, rising sensation Carlos Alcaraz, currently holding the world’s number one ranking, encountered a formidable challenge from the American 12 seed, Tommy Paul.
Struggling to find his usual rhythm, the Spanish prodigy suffered a 3-6, 6-4, 3-6 loss. Despite his recent triumph at Wimbledon, Alcaraz struggled with uncharacteristic errors and served six double faults.
This marked his first defeat since the semi-finals at the French Open in June. Simultaneously, the unseeded Australian contender, Alex de Minaur, orchestrated a stunning upset by taking down the Russian second seed, Daniil Medvedev.
De Minaur’s unwavering determination paid off as he secured victory with a remarkable score of 7-6 (9-7), 7-5. While Medvedev, ranked third globally, initially established a promising 4-0 lead in the opening set tie-break, De Minaur’s persistence led to an impressive comeback.
The spotlight now shifts to the upcoming semi-final clashes. Tommy Paul is slated to go head-to-head against the Italian seventh seed, Jannik Sinner.
On the other side of the bracket, Alex de Minaur will engage in a match against the unseeded Spanish contender, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Reflecting on his performance in Toronto, Carlos Alcaraz openly acknowledged his subpar display and voiced his determination to enhance his skills. “I’m aware that my performance in these matches fell short,” he conceded. “I’m committed to practicing rigorously for improvement. I have several weeks before the US Open.”
Turning our gaze to the future, Alcaraz is set to participate as the top seed in the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, leading up to the defense of his US Open title in New York on August 28. This determined young talent aims to rebound and leave his mark on the upcoming tournaments.
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