World no. 1 and the defending Miami Open champion Carlos Alcaraz can not stop winning! A teenager defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 18 minutes to advance into the semi-final in Florida and move closer to his fourth Masters 1000 title. Carlos and Taylor met for the first time, and the Spaniard was the only player on the court. Alcaraz dropped 15 points in nine service games and defended both break points to keep the pressure on the other side. Fritz failed to match the rival’s variety and remain in contention, struggling on the second serve big time and giving serve away three times to end his run in the quarter-final. Carlos played better in the shortest range up to four strokes, hitting more service winners than Taylor and delivering more efficient tennis with the first groundstroke. Both players had 20 winners, and the Spaniard tames his strokes more efficiently. Carlos sprayed 13 unforced errors and took advantage of the rival’s 28.
Carlos Alcaraz proved too strong for Taylor Fritz in Miami.
World no. 1 forced the opponent’s mistake in the encounter’s first game and created two break points. He cracked a backhand down the line return winner to secure an early break and gain a boost. Struggling to find free points behind the initial shot, Fritz needed five deuces to grab the third game and get his name on the scoreboard with a perfect lob winner. Carlos denied a break point in game four with a half-volley winner and moved 3-1 in front. Taylor earned another break chance in game six after forcing the rival’s mistake, and a teenager denied it with another half-volley winner at the net.
The Spaniard held with an ace to open a 4-2 gap and gain a massive boost. Alcaraz forged a 5-3 advantage with a forehand winner in game eight and served for the opener in game ten. The young gun blasted an ace to wrap up the set 6-4 after 46 minutes. Alcaraz produced four comfortable holds in the second set, and Fritz failed to match that pace. Carlos broke Taylor at love in the opening game and held after deuce in the next one with a service winner for 2-0. Both players served well in the next four games, and Alcaraz gained a 4-2 lead with an unreturned serve. Carlos secured another break in game seven and held at love at 5-2 with a booming serve to set the semi-final clash against Jannik Sinner.