Carlos Alcaraz debuted as a world top-5 knocking out Gombos

Carlos Alcaraz19, made his world top-5 debut knocking out the Slovak Norbert Gombos (117th) in the round of 16 of PTA of Umag: 6-2 and 6-3 in 1h.37′ of play. The Spanish tennis player added his 25th victory this season in 28 games on clay and the overall balance increased to 40-6.

The Murcian opened his ATP record at the Croatian tournament last summer and, therefore, this week he faces the first title defense of his budding professional career.

Here, there, and everywhere 😍@carlosalcaraz #CroatiaOpenMorning pic.twitter.com/T2DIQMxD4u

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 28, 2022

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Breaking early in each set and picking up seven break points she faced, Alcaraz dispatched Gombos in two sets to advance to the quarterfinals, where she awaits Facundo Bagnis, 32 years old and number 120 in the ranking. The Argentine, who mixes the ATP tour with the challenger circuit, reached his best ranking (55th) in 2016.

Especially hard-fought was the fourth game, when Carlos saved six break points before maintaining his lead (3-1) and heading into the final stretch of the first set (6-2). The Spanish player again broke Gombos’ serve from the start, saving his last break point in the sixth game (4-2) and, although the Slovakian saved five consecutive balls, Alcaraz ended the match with his sixth chance (6 -3).

The Murcian will find his place in the semifinals this Friday, not before 8:00 pm, against Bagnis, the only tennis player to break the enormous dominance of the Italians and Spaniards in Umag, with four and three representatives in the quarterfinals , respectively.

Alcaraz, world number 5, and Jannik Sinner (10th) are the top two seeds and favorites to star in Sunday’s final, which will be a repeat of the round of 16 matches Wimbledonwhen the Italian got the Murcian off the only Grand Slam in the grass

Sinner was expected in this round, but three of his compatriots, all three from the previous stage, made it to the quarterfinals against the odds: Frank Agamemnon (136th) will play against Marco Cecchinato (151st) and Giulio Zepperi (168º) will be the rival of Barnabas Zapata (82nd) ​​for a place in the semifinals. Roberto Carballés (86th) will face a sinner in the quarterfinals.

Cecchinato won the round of 16 (6-4, 6-3) Lorenzo Musettithe Italian who stole the title of hamburg to Alcaraz, who conceded his first defeat in an ATP final in the German city after winning the first five, last year in Umag and, this brilliantly in 2022, in two appointments Masters 1,000 (Miami, Madrid) and two other 500 tournaments (River, Barcelona).

These results put the Murcian as world number 5, the second youngest tennis player to achieve this in the 21st century, surpassed only by Rafael Nadalwho achieved it in 2005 with 18. In the Race to Turin, the current year’s ranking, Alcaraz is now second behind Nadal, winner of two Grand Slams (Australia and Roland Garros).