Carlos Alcaraz sinks Grigor Dimitrov to reach Paris Masters quarter-finals
It took 72-minutes for World No. 1 Alcaraz to clinch a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov.
Paris [France], November 3 (ANI): Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday produced a stunning performance at the Paris Masters, defeating Grigor Dimitrov to advance into the quarter-finals.
It took 72-minutes for World No. 1 Alcaraz to clinch a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov. The Spaniard converted five of seven break points against the Bulgarian’s serve to wrap up an impressive 72-minute win.
“I started playing pretty well. Grigor’s level is very much not the level you saw today, but I played very well. At the end of the second set, it was tougher for me, he came back, he raised the level and obviously it was tough. He had the chance to go up in the second set, I had to stay calm at that moment and show my best to not allow him to go up,” ATP.com quoted Alcaraz as saying after the match.
In a near-flawless opening set, Alcaraz’s striking game left the former World No. 3 Dimitrov with few chances to counter. The Spaniard dropped just two points behind serve in the first set. Dimitrov found his feet to whirl off three straight games from 0-3 to draw level in the second set before bagging two break points.
Alcaraz held off the Bulgarian’s challenge to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time in Paris, where he will next face Holger Rune.
“At that moment you have to stay calm, to think [about] what is happening and after that try to change a little bit. I [made] a couple of mistakes at the beginning of the match, but after that, I stayed calm,” said Alcaraz, when asked about Dimitrov’s second-set comeback.
“It’s such a pleasure. It’s tough to bring them to tournaments, and to have them in the box during the week is so special. Of course, taking the trophy for No. 1 in front of them was so special for me,” said Alcaraz. (ANI)
