Barcelona | Alcaraz continues to make his mark

As expected, Friday proved a busy day at the Barcelona Open with players having to complete the whole of the Round of 16 and then the quarter-finals of the 500 level event, after rain had delayed play for some 24-hours

Probably my biggest win on clay court. It was unbelievable - Unbelievable game that I played, unbelievable atmosphere that I lived today on court. It was unbelievable everything. The atmosphere here, the crowd, the level that I played, the level of the match. It was incredible. Carlos Alcaraz

Title contender and fan favourite Carlos Alcaraz kept the home crowds on the edge of their seats as he cruised past his Spanish compatriot Jaume MUnar 6-3 6-3 and then in the quarters, fought off the top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the semi-finals 6-4 5-7 6-2.

For the Spanish 18-year-old, the victory was the third he has scored over the Greek in as many meetings and will have propelled him into the world’s top ten when the new rankings are published on Monday as he becomes the first teenager to make the top-ten since Andy Murray in 2007 and the youngest since compatriot, his idol and 21-Grand Slam champion Rafa Nadal, 17 years ago.

Now coached by another former Spanish great, Juan Carlos Ferrero, the youngster from Murcia on the Costa Calida, could have wrapped up his 21st win of the season, in straight sets as he led 4-1 in the second before the Monte Carlo Masters champion recovered to force a decider.

Both players left the court to reset their games and it was Alcaraz who took control leaping into a 3-0 lead and then easing into the semi-final as he chases his next big title having won the Miami Masters a few weeks back.

“I went to the bathroom just to turn off my mind, just trying to change what I played at the end of the second set, just to be focused on the third set,” Alcaraz admitted. “Forget everything in the match and just give 100 per cent in the third set.”

He added: “Probably my biggest win on clay court. It was unbelievable – Unbelievable game that I played, unbelievable atmosphere that I lived today on court. It was unbelievable everything. The atmosphere here, the crowd, the level that I played, the level of the match. It was incredible.”

The only blight on the match was Tsitsipas losing his cool when he went down two breaks in the third and took another bathroom break and then not abiding by the rules as far as time was concerned, so, on his return, was docked a two point penalty for tardiness. It seems that didn’t register in Tstsipas’ mind for when Alcaraz was awarded the next game after just two points, he took exception!

Alcaraz now faces Alex de Minaur, the Australian who has been dubbed ‘The Demon’ by his compatriots, who eliminated Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the quarters, 6-3 5-7 6-1.

Earlier in the day, Norrie had gone through an exhausting three and a half hours to defeat Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 7-5 6-7(9) 6-4 in his delayed third round clash.

By contrast, De Minaur booked his quarter-final place when South Africa’s Lloyd Harris retired after dropping the first set 6-0.

Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta and Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman meet in the other semi-final after the pair completed their two matches on Friday.

Carreno Busta saved three match points in the second set against second-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway and then overcame an early break in the decider to survive 4-6 7-6(8) 6-3, after three hours.

“I’m so, so happy for this victory,” said the 30-year-old Spaniard who beat Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in another three-setter earlier in the day and could, if he gets past Schwartzman, face Alcaraz in what would be a dream final as far as the home crowd is concerned.

“It was very emotional today playing in front of my people, in my home. I was a set down after playing three hours this morning, so it’s very, very tough to come back,” Carreno Busta said.

Schwartzman, the sixth seed, made the semi-finals by defeating third-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, 3-6 6-2 6-3.

The Argentine spent just over four hours on court Friday, beating Italian Lorenzo Musetti, 6-4 7-5 in the third round.