Carlos Alcaraz has qualified for the last 16 of the Australian Open for the second year in a row. The Spaniard, knowing that glory is decided on the big stages of tennis, has given another coup against Nuno Borges (6-2, 6-4, 6-7 and 6-2) and did so in the Rod Laver Arena.
After two days relegated to the Margaret Court, the second most important court at Melbourne Park, Alcaraz had a good baptism on Friday in the central court where he dreams of completing the circle on January 26. For the moment, he is the fourth in the Open Era to win 10 matches in majors before turning 22. The other three are Mats Wilander, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal
Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil has become the 13th Spaniard in the Open Era (1968) to repeat his presence in the fourth round of the Australian Open. Before him, Carlos Moya (2), Felix Mantilla (2), Feliciano Lopez (2), Albert Costa (2), Fernando Verdasco (3), Juan Carlos Ferrero (3), Pablo Carreno (3), Nicolas Almagro (4), Tommy Robredo (5), Roberto Bautista (5), David Ferrer (9) and Rafael Nadal (15) achieved this feat
Carlitos, who had beaten Borges in their only previous meeting in Barcelona in 2023, started by returning, as he likes. And he achieved a break at the start that put a red carpet to display his best tennis
Borges has improved a lot. The Portuguese is ranked 33rd and last season he opened his record in Bastad. However, it is not enough for him to withstand the weight of the ball from the young man from El Palmar from the white line. Two breaks were enough for Alcaraz to close the first set
The second set was closer, but it also went the way of the four-time Grand Slam champion. In the third, he had to save two break points in the second game. It was a statement of intent from his opponent
Carlitos did a Boris Becker in the seventh game, throwing himself at an impossible ball at the net. He put his physique at risk, but he always goes for it. It’s his way of understanding the sport
Borges enjoyed an option to cut the deficit on the scoreboard, with 6-5 and 30-40. He hit a backhand return straight out. The outcome came in the tiebreaker and Nuno had his reward. He had done everything he could do against a superior Alcaraz. “I missed the Rod Laver Arena, especially because the last time here I had lost. If I win in Australia I will tattoo the kangaroo,” said the winner, leaving for the statistics 54 winners to 15 for his victim
The Spaniard has already done his homework and is waiting to meet his next opponent, who will be the winner of the match between Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic and Britain’s Jack Draper. The key to his success: the Spanish restaurant Cambio de Tercio: “I eat there every day and it gives me energy.”