In a thrilling match at the Madrid Open, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz survived a scare from Jan-Lennard Struff to advance to the quarter-finals. For the second year in a row, Struff pushed Alcaraz to three sets, showcasing an incredible display of clay-court tennis.
Alcaraz took the first set after breaking Struff’s serve, but the German fought back in the second set, breaking Alcaraz to force a tiebreak. The match continued to be a back-and-forth battle, with both players holding serve excellently.
In the deciding set, Alcaraz broke Struff’s serve to take a commanding 5-2 lead. However, Struff refused to go down without a fight, winning three games in a row to level the score at 5-5. The match culminated in a thrilling tiebreak, with Alcaraz ultimately prevailing after a tense battle.
Despite falling short, Struff’s performance was commendable, showcasing his skills as a top clay-court player. Alcaraz, on the other hand, expressed his gratitude to the home crowd for their support throughout the match.
Alcaraz’s next challenge will be against Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals, where he will look to extend his impressive winning streak in Madrid. With the potential for another exciting match on the horizon, tennis fans can expect more thrilling action in the upcoming rounds of the tournament.