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World no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz lost to Tommy Paul at the Canada Masters for the second straight year! The American defeated the Spaniard 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and 20 minutes for a place in his first Masters 1000 semi-final.
Thus, Carlos missed a chance to build a more significant lead over Novak Djokovic ahead of Cincinnati, although he will remain world no. 1 next week. Alcaraz hit six double faults and struggled behind the first and second serve.
He got broken four times from ten chances offered to his rival and grabbed only two return games from five opportunities. Paul won four points more than Alcaraz despite hitting 19 winners and 29 unforced errors. Carlos dictated the pace with his forehand, landing 27 winners and 30 mistakes and falling after losing serve once in the decider.
The Spaniard built a slight advantage in the shortest range up to four strokes, and the American erased it in the most advanced exchanges.
Carlos Alcaraz fell to Tommy Paul in the Canada Masters quarter-final.
Carlos made a slow start and lost serve in the encounter's first game, like against Hubert Hurkacz in the third round.
Tommy denied a break point in the fourth game with a service winner and produced a hold at love two games later for 4-2. Alcaraz played a wayward forehand in the seventh game to drop serve for the second time and fall 5-2 behind.
He pulled one break back in game eight to reduce the deficit before losing serve for the third time at 3-5 to hand the opener to his opponent. Alcaraz saved a break point in the second set's fourth game with a volley winner and held at love in the sixth for 3-3.
With a boost on his side, Carlos broke Tommy at love in the seventh game to build his first advantage. The Spaniard worked hard to confirm it, denying three break chances in the eighth game to open a 5-3 gap. Paul erased a set point with a booming serve in the ninth game, reducing the deficit to 5-4.
Alcaraz left that chance behind and held at love in the tenth game to introduce a decider after an hour and 34 minutes. Both players missed a break chance at the beginning of the final set before the American secured a crucial break at 3-2.
Tommy confirmed it with a service winner in the next one to move 5-2 up and closer to the finish line. Paul served for the victory at 5-3 and landed a backhand down the line winner to emerge at the top and secure his career-best victory.