Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz yesterday moved into the Madrid Open semi-finals with a straight sets victory over Karen Khachanov in his final match as a teenager.
US Open winner Alcaraz, who turns 20 tomorrow when the last-four ties are played, overturned 4-1 and 5-2 deficits in the second set to defeat 12th-ranked Khachanov, 6-4, 7-5.
“Winning this match will give me a lot of confidence, Karen was at a great level and took me to the limit,” said Alcaraz who unleashed 31 winners.
“It was decided by small details and I am very, very happy to be able to get through this round.”
The top seed triumphed in one hour and 52 minutes and will next face either German lucky loser Daniel Altmaier or Borna Coric of Croatia for a place in the final.
“It was pretty tough. The first set as well, it was close,” added Alcaraz whose record on clay this year now stands at 17 wins against one defeat.
“I was in trouble in the second set, a break down and he had two break points to have the second break. So it was really tough for me to come back and he had his chances to win the second set.
“Luckily I knew I was going to have my chances. I just tried to take my opportunities and I’m really happy to get through.”
If Alcaraz lifts the trophy on Sunday in the Spanish capital, he will knock Novak Djokovic from top spot in the rankings simply by playing a match at the Italian Open in Rome next week.
Djokovic missed the Madrid Open with an elbow injury.
Alcaraz blew away Alexander Zverev on Tuesday in a repeat of last year’s Madrid final, but Khachanov put up stiffer opposition.
The Russian, who knocked out compatriot Andrey Rublev this week and also reached the Australian Open semi-finals, showed no fear in the first set despite his opponent’s form.
Eventually Alcaraz found a decisive break to take a 4-3 lead with a strong forehand which Khachanov could not return successfully.
The Spaniard consolidated and served it out.
In the second set Khachanov broke for a 3-1 lead when Alcaraz went long after saving a first break point.
The Russian forced two more in the sixth game but could not convert either as Alcaraz fought hard to hold. Alcaraz’s perseverance paid off as he broke with a volley to get back on serve at 4-5.
The Spaniard consolidated his break and then earned another when Khachanov hit the net with an attempted forehand winner. Aiming for his 10th tour level title the crowd-pleasing home favourite sealed his progress with a powerful forehand drive.

I’ll do the best I can: China’s Zhang after landmark win
Zhang Zhizhen became the first Chinese player to reach the quarter-finals of an ATP Masters 1000 event when he beat Taylor Fritz in the Madrid Open fourth round on Tuesday.
The world number 99 said he would do the best he could against Russian Aslan Karatsev in the last eight after his 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (10/8) victory against the American, ranked 10th.
“I’ll tell you a secret, we had a practice, I lost 6-0 with Karatsev,” said Zhang.
“I’ll do my best. Here everyone is a great player, huge player. They all have some very good results. (I will) try to do the best I can do.”
In February Wu Yibing beat John Isner in the Dallas Open to become the first Chinese player to lift an ATP tour trophy.
Wu beat Fritz in Dallas on the road to the final, securing a first victory over an ATP top ten opponent for a Chinese player.
Zhang followed suit in the Spanish capital to hit a new milestone in a superb year for Chinese tennis.
“I didn’t really think about ranking, because you just need to give the best you can,” said Zhang.
“Before the match, you know it’s a very tough player.
“There is no weakness, so (I) just tried what I can do.”
The 26-year-old saved three match points in the tie-break, continuing his strong run after upsetting Briton Cameron Norrie, ranked 13th, on Monday.
Zhang had already become the first Chinese player to break into the top 100 of the ATP rankings in October 2022.
He is now guaranteed to climb to at least world number 66 on Monday, the highest ranking of his career.

‘Proud’ Veronika Kudermetova
Russian Veronika Kudermetova ousted world number three Jessica Pegula 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 in a topsy-turvy clash to reach the women’s semi-finals.
The 26-year-old beat the American five-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist to reach a WTA 1000 event semi-final for the first time, recovering after a collapse in the second.
“To beat Jessica it feels very nice, I’m so proud of myself because every match I played almost three hours,” said Kudermetova.
Kudermetova, the 12th seed, who won three three-set matches to reach the quarter-finals, will face world number one Iga Swiatek in today’s semi-final.
Swiatek yesterday beat Croatia’s Petra Martic 6-0, 6-3.
It will be the 26-year-old’s third semi-final appearance of 2023 following Adelaide and Doha.