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The defending Barcelona Open champion Carlos Alcaraz is through into the semi-final. Carlos took down his compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6, 6-4 in two hours and ten minutes and remained on the title course. Carlos squandered the advantage in the opener and claimed it after a massive battle in the tie break.
The second set lasted almost an hour, and world no. 2 grabbed a late break to emerge at the top. Alcaraz struggled to find the first serve and faced 11 break points. He got broken three times and clinched four breaks from 11 opportunities to avoid a decider and a possible three-hour duel.
Carlos sprayed 40 unforced errors, hitting loose shots from both wings but doing enough to prevail. Alcaraz broke in the encounter's first game and defended a break point in the next one to open a 2-0 gap.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in straight sets.
The young gun opened a 3-1 gap with a powerful serve before Davidovich Fokina pulled the break back at 2-3 with a backhand return winner. Carlos secured another break in game seven with a forehand down the line winner and served for the set at 5-4.
Alcaraz netted a backhand to lose serve and keep the rival in contention. Struggling in those moments, Carlos held after three deuces at 5-6 and introduced a tie break. They stayed neck and neck, and Alcaraz created a set point with a service winner at 5-5.
Alejandro sprayed a forehand error in the 12th point to hand the opener to Carlos after grueling 76 minutes. The young gun defended six break points in the second set's third game for a hold and a 2-1 advantage. Alcaraz seized the fifth break point in the fourth game to open a 3-1 gap and move closer to the finish line.
Davidovich Fokina stayed competitive and landed a brilliant stop-volley winner in game five to break back and reduce the deficit. Both players served well in the next four games, and Carlos held at 30 in game nine to open a 5-4 gap and send the pressure to the other side.
Davidovich Fokina served to stay in the encounter in game ten and hit a double fault to experience two match points. Alcaraz converted the second after Davidovich Fokina's forehand error to seal the deal and wrap up a challenging day at the office with a win.