For Alcaraz it is the first semifinals on the tour at the ATP 500 level. The teenager won his first title this year in Umag and subsequently defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the tiebreak of the fifth set in the third US Open round. He then reached the quarter-finals and became the youngest quarter-finalist in Flushing Meadows of the Open Era and the youngest in one of the four major tournaments since Michael Chang in 1990 at the French Open.
The match against Berrettini was once again high class, characterized by great baseline duels and another show of talent and the tremendous power of Alcaraz. No less than 8,500 fans were already in the town hall for the first match, Friday was almost sold out. In the first sentence would have Alcaraz this year’s Wimbledon finalist even almost zeroed before the Italian managed to play another game.
The Spaniard, looked after by the ex-world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero, kept his nerve even in the tight finish. In the third set he gave up a 4-1 lead and had to go into the tie-break against the seventh in the world rankings. In this, the youngster, who was also mentally unusually strong, prevailed and then rejoiced over his second greatest success after that of Tsitsipas in New York.
“The match was amazing. It was one of my best performances ever, ”said happily Alcaraz. For him, his mental performance was the key to victory. “The mental part has the most important part in tennis. I think it’s the key to playing great tennis from start to finish. It was also my key to winning this match today. “
