After beating the Argentine Facundo Bagnis in his debut in this edition of the Masters 1,000 in Miami (6-0 and 6-2), Carlos Alcaraz prevailed this Sunday with more difficulties than expected against the Serbian Dusan Lajovic to reach the round of 16 . Alcaraz also overwhelmed the Balkan player in the first set, but with his errors in the second set he gave life to Lajovic, who threw himself with pride to force the tie break and force the Murcian to make an additional effort.
Alcaraz went from more to less against Lajovic, who dreamed of winning the second set and having the chance to play a third set but had to surrender to the quality and mental strength of the world number one. In the end, Alcaraz beat the Serbian 6-0 and 7-6 (7-5) in an hour and a half, learning to suffer as well, confirming himself as a great favorite for the title.
Lajovic managed to save up to three match points in sudden death, but Alcaraz, whose ability to overcome is commendable, gave him no other choice, triumphing in style, with a backhand winner. The Murcian player will play the pass to the quarterfinals against the American Tommy Paul, executioner of Alejandro Davidovich from Malaga in the third round 6-3, 7-5.
In the tournament in which Alcaraz won the first Masters 1,000 of his brilliant career last year and defends the title, the world number one prevailed with ups and downs against 76 of the ATP, who managed to balance the duel in the second set. The first one was closed by Alcaraz in just 32 minutes, leaving an opponent blank then surpassed by the power in the serve and the response to the rest of the tennis player from El Palmar.
consecutive errors
Alcaraz, who is full of play and confidence after winning the title in Indian Wells without losing a single set, also clearly dominating the Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final, has also decided to go to Miami on the way to revalidating the crown for the fast track, although in the third round it was difficult for him to sentence. In a clash in which he was not affected by the wind, Alcaraz once again showed himself ambitious and consistent in many phases against Lajovic, surpassed, above all, in a convincing first set by the Murcian.
However, the Balkan’s game improved a lot in the second set, Alcaraz loosened up, and this allowed the Serb to take the lead 5-6 after four consecutive errors by Alcaraz and reach sudden death. However, the leader of the world ranking, despite some doubts and unexpected failures, stepped on the accelerator again so as not to risk unnecessary wear and tear. Given the enormous difference in quality between the two players, the match could not have been chosen any other way.
Alcaraz will play in the next round against an opponent who is also inferior but is nevertheless going through the best moment of his career, with a record of 16 wins and five losses this season and who has already been able to beat Murcia. Tommy Paul clings to his excellent streak of 12 consecutive wins against Spanish players, including Alcaraz himself, at the Canadian Masters last year.
