By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, April 1, 2022
Teenager Carlos Alcaraz dethroned defending champion Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(5), 7-6(2) battling into his first career Masters 1000 final at the Miami Open.
Photo credit: Getty
Squealing sneakers echoed throughout Hard Rock Stadium signaling the depth of Carlos Alcaraz’s desire.
Alcaraz barely uttered a word during tonight’s blockbuster semifinal, but his feet wouldn’t shut up.
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Playing with poise, purpose and pure speed, 18-year-old Spanish phenom Alcaraz dethroned defending champion Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(5), 7-6(2) battling into his first career Masters 1000 final and first hard-court final at the Miami Open.
"Well, it's great. It's great to be able to play my first Masters 1000 final here in Miami," Alcaraz said. "I love playing here in Miami. Amazing crowd, amazing atmosphere, amazing everything. So it's great to play a final."
In a tight match devoid of a service break, Alcaraz defended his second serve better, played cleaner when it mattered most and ran off five straight points to recover from 2-5 down in the opening-set tiebreaker. Alcaraz snapped Hurkacz's 10-match Miami Open winning streak denying the 25-year-old Pole's aim to become the first man to contest Miami singles and doubles finals.
Afterward, Hurkacz called Alcaraz's lofty level crazy good.
"I mean, definitely he's playing insane for his age," Hurkacz said. "It's really incredible how he plays, how he competes. No, definitely it's something special the way he plays at this age.
"Really, he has amazing career in front of him. It's crazy how good he plays."
At 18 years, 11 months, Alcaraz is the second youngest man in history to reach the Miami Open final following his tennis hero, Rafael Nadal, who was 18 years, 10 months, when he reached the 2005 final and built a two-set lead before bowing to Roger Federer in five gripping sets.
“I have a lot of emotions right now,” Alcaraz said after raising his 2022 record to 17-2. “It’s the thing I dream of…
“I love playing here—the crowd is amazing. I’m going to try to play the final and try to master the nerves. Tonight I’m gonna enjoy and it’s going to be a great final.”
The 14th-seeded Alcaraz will face sixth-seeded Casper Ruud in Sunday’s 1 p.m. final.
Earlier, Ruud ended the Masters dream debut of 103rd-ranked Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 6-1 in today's first semifinal. Alcaraz swept Ruud 6-2, 6-4 in their lone prior meeting in the 2021 Marbella quarterfinals.
Fresh off his surge to the Indian Wells semifinal, Alcaraz snapped Hurkacz's winning streak and will try to make history on Sunday by becoming the first Spanish man to win Miami.
Spaniards are 0-8 in Miami Open finals with Rafael Nadal bowing in five finals and Sergi Bruguera (1997), Carlos Moya (2003) and David Ferrer (2013) all raising runner-up trophies in south Florida.
High energy Alcaraz bring to the court ignites electricity in fans, some of whom were chanting “Let’s go Carlos!” from the very start of the match.
Eight games into the match, Alcaraz faced his first real stress test when Hurkacz threw down a smash for the first break point of the semifinal. Alcaraz tamed trouble with finesse and force. A drop shot winner denied set point before the teenager torched a 131 mph ace eventually evening the set at 4-4.
The eighth seed denied a pair of break points for 6-5. In the ensuing game, Alcaraz showed his sportsmanship. Chair umpire Fergus Murphy called a not up on Hurkacz, who was convinced he got the ball cleanly. Alcaraz, up 30-0 at the time, conceded the point drawing applause from fans and the Pole, who gave the teenager a thumbs-up of appreciation. Alcaraz held to force the tiebreaker.
The defending champion fired a 128 mph ace down the T—his seventh ace of the night—to go up 5-2 in the tiebreaker. Hurkacz was two points from a one-set lead, but Alcaraz made sure he didn’t get any closer.
The teenager tore through five straight points carving out a drop shot winner for set point. Hurkacz tried the surprise serve-and-volley, but Alcaraz answered slamming a dipping return that slithered near the onrushing Pole’s shoe tops. Hurkacz couldn’t handle a half-volley and tossed his Yonex racquet to the court as Alcaraz snatched the tiebreaker and the 62-minute opening set.
Dangerous off both wings, Alcaraz is adept driving the ball down the line. Empowered by winning that first set, the Spaniard was cruising through service games in the second set. Alcaraz permitted just six points in his first five service games of the set going up 5-4.
Though the overwhelming majority of the crowd was supporting Alcaraz, Hurkacz hung tough stringing together three strong holds to level after 10 games.
Hurkacz is in the doubles final with John Isner and showed superb net skills soaring for the toughest shot in tennis—the high backhand volley—then reading the pass, blocking a backhand volley winner and hurling a huge uppercut in the air for break point. Alcaraz withstood it. Hurkacz had a good look at another break point but on an 83 mph second serve he pushed his backhand return deep and Alcaraz came through a tense hold for 6-5.
Opening the second-set tiebreaker with a smash to ignite fans again, Alcaraz exploited a couple of errors then conjured a slick drop volley for 4-1. The drop shot has been a major weapon for Alcaraz throughout this Sunshine Double and he deftly dropped a forehand for match points.
Ripping a running forehand down the line, Alcaraz capped a two hour, two-minute triumph in style improving to 6-6 vs. Top 10 opponents.
The Stevie Wonder classic “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” blared over the sound system as Miami fans showered Alcaraz with rousing cheers as he stayed on court signing autographs and taking selfies with fans soaking in a coming of age moment.