Carlos Alcaraz battled past unseeded Australian Jordan Thompson 7-5 4-6 6-3 to reach the Cincinnati Open third round yesterday as the world number one wobbled again in his build-up to the US Open starting later this month.
An off-colour Alcaraz trailed midway through the opening set which was briefly halted by rain, but the 20-year-old recovered to break Thompson’s serve having squandered eight opportunities earlier and clawed his way back to 4-4 with a hold.
The reigning Flushing Meadows champion, who crashed in the Toronto quarter-finals last week, pounced again for a 6-5 lead before wrapping up the set but was under immediate pressure in the next as Thompson raced ahead 5-2.
“It wasn’t an easy match but I found my best level at the end,” Alcaraz said. “We were waiting around all day to play the match and then when you step on the court you have to start with the rain, so it wasn’t easy.
“But you have to find a way to win these matches in this type of situation.”
The Cincinnati top seed reached the 50-wins milestone in his 12th tournament of the year. Last season his 50th match win came in the semi-finals of the US Open, his 14th tournament of the season.
Alcaraz awaits a third-round showdown with the winner of Frenchman Ugo Humbert and American Tommy Paul, who upset the reigning US Open champion last week in Toronto.
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