Carlos Alcaraz struggles but wins in four sets to reach Wimbledon 2024 quarterfinals

Like against Frances Tiafoe, Carlos Alcaraz is through but had to toil against Ugo Humbert, who reached this stage for the second time at a Grand Slam. But the first time at Wimbledon. He complicated a match that seemed calmer at the beginning, but finally he won 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5.

At the beginning of the match, we saw a classic development, in which both players were measuring each other and taking their service games without any difficulty. That was until 2-2, when Carlitos decided to raise the level considerably and broke the Frenchman's serve. As is common when a break is achieved, Alcaraz relaxed in the following game, but woke up in time to prevent even Humbert from having a chance to return the break.

With 5-3 on the scoreboard, the Spaniard was given the chance to close the set on the service game of the world number 16, and he did not waste it. The first time he didn't, but the second time he took the set 6-3. Carlos got the break in the two games in which he had the opportunity (2/4), while with his serve he did not give any chance to Humbert.

In the second, the Frenchman showed a clear improvement. The proof came in the fifth game, with 2-2 on the scoreboard, when he had up to four options to break Carlos' serve. However, he did not take any of them and did not have more in the whole set. It is true that he did not concede either, but when the tension increased, when the chips are burning, the Murcian is at another level.

We reached 5-4 for Alcaraz with Humbert serving. It did not seem that it was going to be difficult for him but Charly got his moment and took the advantage to face the match with a 2-0 lead. And in a point that Ugo had won with Carlitos on the floor, he made an incomprehensibly too long volley that the world number 3 reached, and the next shot sent it behind the baseline, which gave the second set 4-6.

The third set looked like it would be a walkover for Alcaraz, who started 1-0 and 0-30 on Humbert's serve. But from one moment to the next, absolutely everything turned around and the three-time Grand Slam champion did not win another game in the set. The Frenchman showed that he is not Top 20 in the world for nothing and completely swept him aside, giving him a resounding 6-1.

The fourth started with an Alcaraz who seemed not to want any more scares or problems, with a break to open the set. But Humbert reacted well, returning the break instantly. However, the recent winner of Roland Garros was not intimidated and got a new break of serve to take a 2-1 lead.

The advantage did not last long, however, as Ugo did not give up and regained his lost serve to make it 3-3. The eighth game of the set was one of the most decisive of the whole match. The man who has never lost an ATP final was 0-40 down on Carlitos' serve, but the Spaniard was able to save all three and finally make it 4-4.

They reached 5-5 with both players comfortably leading their service games, but in the eleventh game, Alcaraz gave his best to make the break and give himself the opportunity to close the match with his serve. And so he did, finishing with a great serve in the first opportunity he had and winning by 7-5 the fourth and final set.

In the quarterfinals he will face the winner of the clash between Tommy Paul, a player who has made it difficult for him on more than one occasion, and Roberto Bautista Agut, who seems to have recovered his best form and comes from eliminating two complicated Italians like Lorenzo Sonego and Fabio Fognini. Both are the Spaniards still alive in the men's draw.