A match you don’t expect between Carlos Alcaraz And Grigor Dimitrov. 12 years difference between number 2 in the world and number 12 in the ATP rankings. All predictions were for the young Spanish tennis talent who, at 20, was already number one in the world. And instead it was the 32-year-old Bulgarian who played one of the best matches of his career and won the quarter-final of the Miami Open.
The match starts well for Dimitrov who manages to immediately break his opponent. On the one hand Carlitos seems dazed at not being able to take the measure of Grigor’s game, on the other he seems to want to end the games early but misses those shots which are his strong point. It is a match in which, unlike those played previously by Alcaraz in this tournament, it is the opponent who is aggressive.
The first set has no history. Alcaraz never enters the game and his physical and nervous decline are truly impressive. He himself wonders, reasoning with his coach, how it is possible to play so badly. However, it must be said, in his defense, that Grigor Dimitrov makes very few mistakes and offers formidable shots.
The first set ends quickly. Leading 5-2 on Alcaraz due to the break taken at the start, he again steals the Spaniard’s serve and closes the set 6-2.
There are those who now expect a fierce Alcaraz. But that’s not the case. The game doesn’t change and the continuous errors lead Dimitrov to take a new break from his opponent and he finds himself at 4-1. He also has the possibility of taking the lead to 5-1 but, at this point, the Spaniard seems to wake up from his torpor and, returning to being that extraordinary player seen in Indian Wells, strings together formidable plays and shots, taking the lead to 4-4 . Dimitrov finds his serve again and takes the lead at 5-4 and, in the tenth game, finds himself with two match points on Alcaraz’s turn of serve. He doesn’t make any mistakes and with a score of 6-4 he takes home access to the semi-final where Zverev awaits him.
The exclusion of Carlos Alcaraz is an unexpected gift for Jannik Sinner who can now really trust in the possibility of overtaking, becoming number two in the world. And avoid meeting him again, at least for now in Miami. But to reach the place of honor alongside Djokovich he will have to overcome in his quarter-final this evening at 8pm Daniil Medvedev. Tonight’s match is a sort of rematch of the 2023 Miami final won by Medvedev 7-5 6-3.
