It was another close call for the defending champion but somehow, when looking like he might have no answers to an opponent’s game plan, he does just that.
I just try to fight for every ball, it doesn’t matter which part of the court I am, I just try to run in whichever part of the court I am on, giving myself the chance to stay alive in the point Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz battled his way past the 16th seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-5 and will have let out a huge sigh of relief after that three-hour encounter.
For Alcaraz the first problem was adjusting his game to counter the first leftie he had faced at this year’s Championships and as the match progressed, dealing with Humbert’s huge serves and quality service returns which proved problematic during the latter part of the fourth-round match.
With the rain hammering on the closed roof of Centre Court, the Spaniard was well in control of the opening set and his first big test came in the second when he had to fend off four break points before holding for 3-2.
That was certainly a glimpse of what the Frenchman could do and at 5-4 he was forced onto the defensive again but after a long rally which included an excellent recovery by Alcaraz following a slip and a couple of lung-busting chases to force an error off the Humbert racket.
Ugo Humbert winds up for another bullet like serve
(Photo by Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images)
By now, despite being two sets down, Humbert had found his ‘A’ game and he turned the tables on the world No.3, breaking him for the first time with thunderous returns. He backed that up throughout the set allowing him only one game and frustration was now becoming very evident on the third seed’s face.
The start of the fourth saw them break each other early and while it looked like the match was going into a deciding fifth, Alcaraz snatched the victory in a tense 12th game.
A very relieved Alcaraz told Annabel Croft after the match: “Playing lefties is always tricky, no matter the surface. I played my first leftie at Queen’s, so I learnt a little bit from that.
“I felt great playing today, I think I played a really high level and playing a leftie I tried not to think about it and just played my own game.
“I just try to fight for every ball, it doesn’t matter which part of the court I am, I just try to run in whichever part of the court I am on, giving myself the chance to stay alive in the point.
“I had to show the opponent that whatever shot he shoots, I will be there. That’s me, I will be there, fighting until the last ball, and sometimes it is a good point like this one, and sometimes I lose it, but the main thing is just to fight.”
“I just choose the shot when I am going to hit it. I don’t think about it beforehand. I like the forehand drop shot, passing shot from the forehand or the lob tweener, that is my favourite shot, so I try to find that in every match.”
He certainly entertains with his style of play, his never say-die attitude and his power and speed about the court. On this occasion he hit 44 winners and made 33 unforced errors breaking Humbert six times.
He next plays Tommy Paul, the 12th seed from the US who won Queen’s last week or his countryman Roberto Bautista Agut and should he clear that quarter final hurdle, his most likely opponent will be Jannik Sinner, the world No.1. from Italy, for a place in the final.
Now that is a mouthwatering prospect, but Alcaraz will definitely need to be on top form.
