LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz found himself pushed to a Grand Slam fifth set again, this time at Wimbledon, this time against good pal Frances Tiafoe. And as he usually does under such circumstances, no matter how much trouble he might have been in, Alcaraz surged to the finish.
Alcaraz avoided a surprising exit and got past Tiafoe 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 on Friday to reach Wimbledon’s fourth round in an entertaining match filled with moments of brilliance and a series of momentum swings across its 3 hours, 50 minutes.
“It’s always a big challenge playing against Frances. As I’ve said many, many times, he’s a really talented player. Really tough to face. And he showed it once again,” Alcaraz said. “It was really, really difficult for me to adapt my game, to find solutions, to try to put him in trouble. But really happy to do it at the end.”
In front of a Center Court crowd that included Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Oscar-winning actor Dustin Hoffman, and under a closed retractable roof that amplified the thuds of rackets-on-balls, grunts and cheers, the third-seeded Alcaraz was outplayed for stretches by No. 29 Tiafoe.
But Alcaraz was better at the business end and improved to 12-1 in his nascent career in fifth sets — including victories in the semifinals and final at the French Open after being down 2-1 in sets en route to the title there last month. Tiafoe fell to 6-13 in five-setters.
Tiafoe was unable to pull out what would have been a surprising victory for someone who arrived at Wimbledon with a sprained ligament in his right knee and a losing record this season.
Sure came close, though.
The 26-year-old American was two points away from getting the chance to serve for the win, getting to love-30 on Alcaraz’s serve at 4-all in the fourth set. But Alcaraz steadied himself and claimed the next four points, capped by an ace at 130 mph (210 kph).
He then dominated the ensuing tiebreaker, grabbing a 5-0 lead.
“I served (at) a lot of difficult moments during the fourth set. ... All I was thinking is: ‘OK, fight one more ball, one more ball.’ Thinking about the next point,” Alcaraz said. “And obviously in the tiebreak, I always tell myself that I have to go for it. If I lose it, I lose it, but I have to feel that I went for it all the time.”
The final set featured more one-way traffic. Tiafoe held in the opening game, but that was pretty much that. At 1-all, Alcaraz got the last break he would need by smacking a cross-court backhand passing shot that Tiafoe let fly by; the ball landed right at the baseline, spraying a bit of chalk.
Others into the fourth round with victories on a rainy day were reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff, French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini, No. 19 Emma Navarro — the American who eliminated Naomi Osaka earlier in the week — and 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys in the women’s bracket, and No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov and No. 12 Tommy Paul in the men’s.
Gauff, who is seeded No. 2, will face Navarro in an all-American matchup for a quarterfinal berth.
Most of the attention Friday was on Alcaraz and Tiafoe, two known for providing a show. Alcaraz delivered on-the-run, back-to-the-net ‘tweeners and pointed to his ear to ask spectators for more noise; Tiafoe interacted with the fans, too, waving to them to get louder.
These two good-naturedly traded some mild trash talk when they found out they’d be facing each other, and they hugged and chatted at the net when it was over.
Tiafoe stopped playing during a match last month at the Queen’s Club event after hurting his knee, and was just 13-14 in 2024 before Wimbledon, with some of those losses coming against players he referred to as “clowns,” without naming names.
After Tiafoe, who wore a black sleeve on his right knee, slipped and went down to the ground a couple of times Friday, Alcaraz walked around the net to the other side of the court to check on him or offer a hand to help him get to his feet.
There were fewer of the sorts of lengthy, extended exchanges they engaged in at Flushing Meadows a little less than two years ago — when Alcaraz defeated Tiafoe in a five-setter in the US Open semifinals — mostly owing to the speedier grass that tends to end points quickly. Still, there was shared excellence aplenty, including a 22-stroke point that Alcaraz won to help lead 4-2 in the first set.
Tiafoe broke right back and soon owned that set. Alcaraz righted himself in the second. Then it was Tiafoe’s turn to play better in the third. And, ultimately, it was Alcaraz who emerged.
Now Alcaraz will continue to pursue a second consecutive title at the All England Club and his fourth Grand Slam trophy overall, including the recent triumph in Paris that made the 21-year-old Spaniard the youngest man to win a major championship on all three surfaces.
Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz comes back to beat Frances Tiafoe in the third round
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Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz comes back to beat Frances Tiafoe in the third round
- Alcaraz avoided a surprising exit and got past Tiafoe 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2
- “It’s always a big challenge playing against Frances. As I’ve said many, many times, he’s a really talented player,” Alcaraz said
Tunisia's Jabeur to miss rest of year with injury
- Jabeur missed the recent US Open due to the injury
PARIS: Ons Jabeur will miss the rest of the 2024 WTA season with a shoulder injury, the Tunisian announced on Monday.
The three-time Grand Slam runner-up has struggled for form and fitness this year, slipping to 22nd in the world rankings.
Jabeur missed the recent US Open due to the injury and has not played since a heavy defeat by Naomi Osaka in Toronto in early August.
“This year has been extremely hard for me and as athletes, we know that recovery is part of the journey,” she said on social media.
“Due to my ongoing shoulder injury, my medical team and I’ve made the difficult decision to step off the tennis circuit for the rest of the season.”
The 30-year-old said she would be back on court for the start of the 2025 campaign in Australia.
Champions Italy, Argentina qualify for Davis Cup final eight
- On Sunday, the last two places are up for grabs with Britain needing to beat Canada 3-0 at home in Manchester to take the Group D berth ahead of the Canadians
- All is to play for in Group A between Brazil, Belgium and the Netherlands, depending on the result of the clash between the Dutch and Italy
PARIS: Defending champions Italy qualified for the Davis Cup final eight on Saturday without playing as Argentina advanced with a dominant 3-0 win over Finland.
Italy and Argentina join Spain, Australia, the US and Germany, who are already through to the eight-team finals in Malaga, Spain from Nov. 19-24.
On Sunday, the last two places are up for grabs with Britain needing to beat Canada 3-0 at home in Manchester to take the Group D berth ahead of the Canadians.
All is to play for in Group A between Brazil, Belgium and the Netherlands, depending on the result of the clash between the Dutch and Italy.
In Bologna, Italy advanced thanks to Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Belgium.
Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro beat Belgian Zizou Bergs 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 after Joao Fonseca defeated Raphael Collignon 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
Belgium kept their slim hopes alive thanks to their doubles victory.
In Group D, Guillermo Coria’s Argentina powered back after 2-1 to Canada on Tuesday crushing last year’s semifinalists Finland.
Tomas Martin Etcheverry beat Eero Vasa 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 with Francisco Cerundolo battling past Otto Virtanen 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-0
Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni survived dropping their opening set to take the doubles. Argentina return to the last eight for the first time since 2019.
“We knew we had to win 3-0,” said Gonzalez.
Etcheverry added: “The Davis Cup was a tournament I always dreamed about as a child. It was so important to get the first point.”
In China, Reilly Opelka saved two match points, with Brandon Nakashima also winning as the US beat Germany 2-1 to take top spot in Group C.
Both 32-times tournament winners USA and Germany were already through to the final eight but were playing for top spot in the group which helps determine seeding.
Bob Bryan’s US team made it three wins out of three having also defeated Slovakia and Chile.
Opelka beat Germany’s Henri Squire 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (11/9), 6-3 in Zhuhai with Nakashima easing past Maximilian Marterer 6-4, 6-2.
Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz won the doubles rubber.
In World Group 1, Novak Djokovic eased to a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Ioannis Xilas as Serbia took a 2-0 lead over Greece.
The 37-year-old world No. 4, who won the Davis Cup with Serbia in 2010, wrapped up the match in just 45 minutes.
Earlier, Miomir Kecmanovic gave Serbia a 1-0 lead with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Aristotelis Thanos.
Djokovic is playing his first match since losing in the third round of the US Open.
“It is always a great pleasure to play here,” said Djokovic.
“This may be the last time I will play in front of this audience. The format is changing.
“It’s been seven years since I last played the Davis Cup here. I don’t know if I have seven more years of my career. We’ll see, some young tennis players who will defend the colors of the national team need to take over the helm.”
Casper Ruud secured a 3-1 win for Norway in their World Group I tie against Portugal.
Alcaraz gives Spain Davis Cup delight as Australia, US and Germany also qualify
- Spain and Australia with two successes each have booked their ticket for the Final 8 in Malaga at the end of November
- The US booked their ticket to final eight series with a 3-0 win over Slovakia in Zuhai earlier Friday, with Germany also advancing
PARIS: France crashed out of the Davis Cup Friday when world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz beat Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-3 in the second rubber in Valencia with a convincing display.
Earlier, the defeat of Arthur Fils to Roberto Bautista 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 put France 1-0 down and Humbert was unable to revive the French against a solid Alcaraz in front of a home crowd.
Since the reform of the Davis Cup in 2019, France has never managed to get beyond the group stage.
Spain and Australia with two successes each have booked their ticket for the Final 8 in Malaga at the end of November and will compete for the head of this group B on Sunday.
“It was the goal since the beginning of the week, to qualify for Malaga,” Alcqaraz said.
“I was really, really focused, I was on a really high level of tennis and it’s one of the best matches that I’ve played this year.
“Seeing my last month I needed this kind of match and I’m really happy with my performance today.”
The US booked their ticket to final eight series with a 3-0 win over Slovakia in Zuhai earlier Friday, with Germany also advancing.
Mackenzie McDonald beat Lukas Klein 6-4, 6-3 in the opening singles rubber before Brandon Nakashima eased past Jozef Kovalik 6-3, 6-3 to give the Americans an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram then teamed up in the doubles to battle past Klein and Norbert Gombos 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/4), 10-1.
Bob Bryan’s US team, playing without top players including US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz and semifinalist Frances Tiafoe, also beat Chile 3-0 earlier this week.
The US victory meant Group C rivals Germany also qualified for the Final 8 which will be held in Malaga in Nov. 19-24.
Germany and the US will go head-to-head for top spot in their final group game on Saturday which will determine their seeding for Malaga.
Sixteen countries are competing in the group stage finals in four cities with the top two from each group advancing to the eight-team final.
“It means a lot,” said 40th-ranked Nakashima.
“To be able to be in this position right now, to be clinching that spot, it’s very important for us.”
The US, 32-times tournament winners, most recently in 2007, failed to progress out of the group stage finals last year after defeats to the Netherlands and Finland.
McDonald, ranked 149, has been returning from an injury-plagued season.
“I’m really proud of myself for performing well today and putting the team on the board,” he said.
Canada, Australia and Germany set to advance in Davis Cup Finals after group-stage wins
- Canada won 3-0 against Finland, Australia beat the Czech Republic by the same score, and Germany swept aside Chile 3-0
- The Netherlands picked up their first win against Brazil in the only one of Thursday’s ties that was decided in doubles
- Four groups of teams are playing in four cities this week to qualify for the eight-team Finals in Malaga, Spain, in November
MANCHESTER, England: Canada, Australia and Germany remained unbeaten in the group stage of the Davis Cup Finals after each winning their second straight match on Thursday, while Czech player Tomas Machac retired injured for the second time in two days after playing only six minutes.
Canada won 3-0 against Finland, Australia beat the Czech Republic by the same score, and Germany swept aside Chile 3-0.
Denis Shapovalov beat Eero Vasa 7-6 (2), 6-2 and Felix Auger-Aliassime followed up with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Otto Virtanen for the 2022 Davis Cup champions in Manchester, England.
There was an element of revenge after Canada lost to Finland in last year’s quarterfinals.
“Everybody’s in good spirits, so it’s very good,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Any motivation is good, but I think it’s a different year, a different time, and (last year’s loss) was behind us. This year we have a full team and everybody’s playing better than last year. Everybody’s improved.”
Auger-Aliassime was back on court soon after with Shapovalov in doubles to wrap up the tie with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Virtanen and Harri Heliovaara.
Machac’s injury was the focus as Australia marched into a 2-0 lead against the Czech Republic in Valencia, Spain.
What had seemed to be simply cramps when he retired against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday proved more serious and long-lasting as Machac played just nine points in his match with Alexei Popyrin.
Machac was playing with bandages around his right calf and called for a medical timeout after Popyrin held serve in the first game, before retiring at 30-15 down in the second.
“We saw him last night, and he didn’t look too good last night, so we wish him a speedy recovery and hopefully he’s back on tour quickly,” Popyrin said.
Earlier, Thanasi Kokkinakis had given Australia the lead in the opening match by beating Jakub Mensik 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-3. Australia made it 3-0 in the doubles as Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell beat Mensik and Adam Pavlasek 6-4, 6-2.
On an indoor hard court in Zhuhai, China, Germany’s Maximilian Marterer beat Tomas Barrios Vera 6-1, 6-3, then Yannick Hanfmann defeated Alejandro Tabilo 7-5, 6-4 to clinch the tie. Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, who have lost only one cup match, beat Barrios Vera and Matias Soto 6-1, 6-3. In no match was Germany broken. Germany has never lost to Chile, which didn’t use an ill Nicolas Jarry.
The Netherlands picked up their first win against Brazil in the only one of Thursday’s ties that was decided in doubles. Wesley Koolhof and Botic van de Zandschulp won a close match 6-4, 7-6 (5) against Brazil’s Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo to hand Brazil its second loss in Bologna, Italy.
Brazil had led after Joao Fonseca beat van de Zandschulp 6-4, 7-6 (3) in the first match but Tallon Griekspoor leveled the tie with a 7-6 (2), 6-4 win over Thiago Monteiro.
Four groups of teams are playing in four cities this week to qualify for the eight-team Finals in Malaga, Spain, in November. The top two countries in each four-team group advance.
Davis Cup: US, Spain, Italy and Britain win their opening group matches
- The No. 3-ranked Alcaraz clinched victory for Spain against the Czech Republic in Group B when Tomas Machac retired injured with the score at 6-7 (3), 6-1
- Brandon Nakashima beat Alejandro Tabilo 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (3) after Reilly Opelka defeated Cristian Garin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) to give the Americans a winning 2-0 lead over Chile in Group C
VALENCIA, Spain: Less than two weeks after his shocking second-round exit at the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz was staring at another upset when a set down in his opening group-stage match for Spain in the Davis Cup Finals on Wednesday.
This time, Alcaraz turned things around — though he needed some help from his opponent.
The No. 3-ranked Alcaraz clinched victory for Spain against the Czech Republic in Group B on Wednesday when Tomas Machac retired injured with the score at 6-7 (3), 6-1 in Valencia. It gave Spain an unassailable 2-0 lead, with Roberto Bautista Agut having already defeated Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (1), 6-4, and Alcaraz then partnered with Marcel Granollers-Pujol to win the doubles in three sets and wrap up a 3-0 victory.
They were Alcaraz’s first matches since losing in straight sets to Botic van de Zandschulp — who was ranked 74th — at Flushing Meadows.
Spain joined the US, defending champion Italy and Britain in gaining victories on Wednesday.
Brandon Nakashima beat Alejandro Tabilo 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (3) after Reilly Opelka defeated Cristian Garin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) to give the Americans a winning 2-0 lead over Chile in Group C in Zhuhai, China.
Those two singles matches lasted in excess of five hours and the US brought in Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram for the doubles, which they won 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) against Tomas Barrios Vera and Matias Soto to seal a 3-0 sweep.
“It was truly an epic day of tennis for both teams, everyone showed a lot of heart, a lot of guts,” US captain and retired doubles great Bob Bryan said. “I don’t think it’s ever happened in Davis Cup that all matches went to the third-set breaker . . . historic day. Just feeling very, very proud of the players.”
The US, which has a leading 32 Davis Cup titles but none since 2007, is bidding to reach the quarterfinals for the second time since the Davis Cup Finals were introduced in 2019. In the qualifiers this year, the Americans defeated Ukraine 4-0 on neutral ground in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Italy didn’t need top-ranked Jannik Sinner, the newly crowned US Open champion, to begin its title defense with a 2-1 win over Brazil in Group A in Bologna.
Matteo Berrettini beat Joao Fonseca 6-1, 7-6 (5) before Matteo Arnaldi gave Italy an unassailable 2-0 lead by beating Thiago Monteiro 7-5, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5). Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo won the doubles for Brazil, beating Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in three sets.
“It was a great, great feeling. I’ve been missing this kind of feeling for so long for so many reasons,” Berrettini said. “The Davis Cup, the tournament in Rome, it felt like almost a first time.”
Britain also established a 2-0 advantage over Finland in Manchester, England, in Group D thanks to wins by Dan Evans and Billy Harris.
Evans beat Eero Vasa 7-6 (3), 6-2 and Harris, the guy who once lived out of a van while playing tennis tournaments around Europe, defeated Otto Virtanen 6-4, 7-6 (4).
“He (Vasa) was playing so freely in the first set and I did well to weather the storm and find a way to win,” Evans said. “That’s what you have to do in the Davis Cup.”
It finished 2-1 for Britain after Virtanen teamed with Harri Heliovaara to beat Evans and Neal Skupski 7-6 (4), 7-5 in doubles.
The four groups are playing in four cities this week to qualify for the Final 8 knockout stage to be held in Malaga, Spain, in November. The top two countries in each four-team group will advance.
In opening play on Tuesday, Belgium beat the Netherlands 2-1, Australia defeated France 2-1, Germany — playing without No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev — beat Slovakia 3-0 and Canada defeated Argentina 2-1.
