Alcaraz stages sensational comeback against Hurckacz and book spot in Cincinnati Open final

Carlos Alcaraz once again staged a comeback to defeat Hubert Hurckacz and advance to his first Cincinnati Open final.

The world No. 1 has faced challenges in progressing through the rounds of the Western & Southern Open, engaging in three three-set battles against Jordan Thompson, Tommy Paul, and Max Purcell. While the Spanish player has showcased moments of his best form, he hasn't maintained consistency throughout the entirety of matches.

Hurckacz reached the semifinal with his strongest performance in a 2023 Masters 1000 event, securing victories against Thanasi Kokkinakis, 15th seed Borna Coric, 4th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Alexei Popyrin. His last semifinal appearance was at the 2022 Canadian Open, where he overcame the semifinal stage against Casper Ruud but ultimately lost in the final to Pablo Carreno Busta.

For the second consecutive week, Hubert Hurckacz and Carlos Alcaraz faced each other after their quarterfinal clash in the Canadian Open, which saw the Spanish player emerge victorious with a score of 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(3).

Similar to their previous encounter, the Polish player started with his service and secured an early break to establish a 3-0 lead over Alcaraz. The 2-time Grand Slam champion diligently sought to regain the break and had five break points in the set, but Hurckacz managed to save each one.

A new break from the Polish player in the eighth game granted him the set 6-2. Alcaraz struggled with his first serve, landing only 43% of them and winning just 50%, along with 46% on his second serve.

On the other hand, Hurckacz had a 65% first-serve accuracy and won 75% of those points, though he faltered with his second serve, winning 38%.

The second set was closely contested. Alcaraz attempted to extend rallies in his return game and earned three break points in the third game, but he couldn't capitalize on them. Both players remained composed, defending their service games. World No. 20 had a match point opportunity, but a forehand error allowed Alcaraz to level at 5-5. In the tie-break, Hurckacz led 4-1, but the world No. 1 scored six consecutive points to even the match at 7-6(4).

In the fourth game of the deciding set, Alcaraz secured the decisive break and showcased increasing conviction. He maintained his service game for the remainder of the set, ultimately sealing victory with a score of 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-3.

In the final, he will face the winner of the last match of the session between Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard has already secured his position as the world No. 1, regardless of the outcome, and he will be playing in his seventh final of the year with a record of 6-1 so far.