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World no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz had to dig deep to pass his second obstacle at the Canada Masters. The young Spaniard met Hubert Hurkacz in a tricky third round and delivered a 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 triumph in two hours and 38 minutes. Thus, Carlos will meet Tommy Paul in Friday's quarter-final.
Alcaraz and Hurkacz played for the second time, and the Spaniard secured his second win, playing four tie breaks in five sets! Carlos won seven points more than Hubert, hitting more winners and fewer unforced errors but barely clinching the victory in the closing stages.
The young gun should have finished the match earlier, earning a 5-2 advantage in the decider and creating two match points on his serve in the eighth game. Hurkacz denied them, pulled two breaks back and reached a tie break, only to lose it 7-3.
Carlos played better behind the second serve, although he got broken four times. Hubert saved seven out of ten break chances, fighting strong but missing to take the last step and defeat the world's best player.
Carlos Alcaraz prevailed over Hubert Hurkacz in Toronto.
The Pole made a perfect start, breaking the Spaniard in the second game and producing two fine holds for 3-0. Hurkacz denied two break points in the fifth game, and they both served well in the rest of the set. Hubert fired a service winner in the ninth game to wrap up the opener 6-3 in 32 minutes and gain a boost.
The Pole grabbed another break at the start of the second set with a mighty forehand, moving closer to the finish line. However, Carlos pulled the break back in game two, avoiding chasing the result. Hurkacz denied two break points in the sixth game, and they both served well until the tie break.
Alcaraz claimed all five points behind the initial shot and kept the pressure on the other side. The Spaniard grabbed a mini-break in the third point with a sharp return and earned another in the sixth. Carlos landed a service winner at 6-2 to wrap up the set and force a decider.
With a boost on his side, world no. 1 produced three holds at love and grabbed breaks in games three and seven for a massive 5-2 advantage. Alcaraz squandered two match points on serve in the eighth game, marking the beginning of the rival's comeback.
Hurkacz pulled one break back and locked the result at 5-5 with a break at love after a backhand return winner in the tenth game. The set went into a tie break, and Alcaraz made a fresh start, leaving that massive advantage behind him.
Carlos earned mini-breaks in the fourth and fifth points, forging the lead and taking the breaker 7-3 to emerge at the top and pass a formidable rival.