The Spanish Carlos Alcaraz, 2nd in the world ranking, advanced to the semifinals of the ATP 250 in Buenos Aires, beating the Serbian Dusan Lajovic 6-4 and 6-2, in a duel played on Friday night for the quarterfinals of the contest Argentinian, the second in the South American tour of slow courts.
Alcaraz, top favorite in Buenos Aires, prevailed in an hour and 33 minutes of action in the match played at the Guillermo Vilas court of the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club in front of some 5,000 spectators.
In a comparison of different conditions to his debut on Wednesday, with a much lower temperature (12 degrees), the 19-year-old born in El Palmar had a firm start and took a quick lead (3-0), but fell in a rut and allowed Lajovic’s recovery (4-4), although he later corrected and took the first set with a break in the tenth game.
Alcaraz was somewhat more consistent in the second set, in which he once again escaped in the result (4-1), but this time he managed to maintain the difference and closed the match with a notable parallel forehand winner for 6-4 and 6- 2 final.
«Everything has been very different from what we were used to, there was rain, some cold, but the tennis player’s day to day is getting used to what is coming, and I think a great game came out. I have competed very well, I have played at a high level, but I want to continue improving ahead of the semifinals”, said the Spaniard as soon as the match ended.
In the semifinals, Alcaraz will meet the winner of the match that will be played by the Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo, fifth favorite, and the Spanish Bernabé Zapata Miralles.
