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Carlos Alcaraz saves match point, rallies past Hubert Hurkacz for spot in Cincinnati final

Alcaraz stared down match point serving at 2-6, 4-5, 30-40, and later trailed 4-1 in the second-set tiebreak before coming all the way back.

ByTENNIS.com

Published Aug 19, 2023

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WATCH: Carlos Alcaraz booked a spot in his third Masters 1000 final of the season with a come-from-behind win over Hubert Hurkacz.

A battle-hardened Carlos Alcaraz faced his biggest test at the Western & Southern Open in Saturday's semifinals, and from match point down, passed it with flying colors.

The world No. 1 rallied for a 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 win over Poland's Hubert Hurkacz for his a berth in his first final in Cincinnati.

Alcaraz's two-hour, 18-minute victory was his fourth three-setter in as many matches in the Queen City, but by far his most Herculean effort: Alcaraz stared down match point serving at 2-6, 4-5, 30-40, and later trailed 4-1 in the second-set tiebreak before coming all the way back. After failing to convert any of his first 10 break points, Alcaraz secured the break that won him in the match on his third chance in the fourth game of the final set.

It was also the second time in as many weeks that Alacaraz rallied to beat Hurkacz; in Toronto, he came from a set behind in a 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(3) win.

"It was a mental semifinal, I had to stay there," Alcaraz said in his on court-interview. "I had a lot of break points, it was really tough. Obviously saving a match point is never easy but with my coach, we were talking about staying positive all the time and to stay there. We knew I was going to have my chances and I tried to take it.

"Every match against Hubi is really, really tough but I'm really, really happy that I was able to win."

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Alcaraz is through to his eighth final in 12 tournaments played in 2023, his third at Masters 1000 level this year, and will play for his 13th career ATP singles title against No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic, in a rematch of last month's Wimbledon final that was won by Alcaraz in five sets.

And perhaps most crucially, Alcaraz's semifinal comeback secured him the No. 1 seed at the US Open in two weeks' time with the win, no matter the result of Sunday's final. He will top the men's singles draw at Flushing Meadows as he seeks to defend the major title he first won 12 months ago.

"It's been a really tough tournament, all matches [have gone] three sets," Alcaraz said. "But I'm really happy to win these kind of matches and stay strong mentally, these matches are really good for me. I grow up a lot thanks to these matches."