Carlos Alcaraz beat Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-2 to reach his second consecutive semifinal at the Miami Open. Alcaraz continues his quest for the Sunshine Double, a sweep of Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells and Miami in the same year. Alcaraz converted three of his five break points. Both players ended the match with 20 winners, but Alcaraz made 13 unforced errors to Fritz’s 28.
Alcaraz earned an immediate break in the opening game. Fritz brought up two break points in the second game, but Alcaaraz saved them with half-volleys to hold on his serve. The Spanish player started the second set with an early break in the first game of the opening set and won the final three games including a break in the seventh game to seal the second set 6-2 after 1 hour and 18 minutes.
“A little bit of nerves at the beginning of the match. It was new for me, playing against him. I knew that I had to play my game, the way that I was playing the previous matches, a high level for me. Of course I am very happy with the way I started the match, with no mistakes and with a lot of power. It was a key for me to break his serve at the beginning and then play the game”, said Alcaraz.
Alcaraz has improved his seasonal record to 18 wins to 1 defeats. The Spaniard set up a blockbuster semifinal match against Sinner in a re-match of this year’s Indian Wells semifinal. Alcaraz leads 3-2 in his five head-to-head matches and beat his Italian rival in Indian Wells. Sinner defeated Alcaraz twice last year at Wimbledon and in the Umag final.
If Karen Khachanov beats Danil Medvedev in the other semifinal, he will overtake Fritz at world number 10 in the ATP Ranking.
Fritz holds a record of 13 wins to 3 defeats this season. He won the Delray Beach title and reached the quarter final in Indian Wells.
