By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, September 29, 2024
Carlos Alcaraz powered past Tallon Griekspoor 6-1, 6-2 to score a milestone 200th career victory in Beijing today.
Photo credit: VCG Getty
Backpedaling on the blue court, Carlos Alcaraz was smiling while soaring for an exclamatory smash.
Even moving backward, Alcaraz was an all-court disruptor landing a historic win in Beijing.
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Playing near-flawless tennis, Alcaraz overwhelmed Tallon Griekspoor 6-1, 6-2 scoring his 200th career win—and a spot in the China Open quarterfinals.
On his second match point, Alcaraz slashed a second serve out wide sealing a 56-minute thrashing in superb style.
The 21-year-old Spanish superstar improves to 200-52 lifetime, becoming the second fastest to earn 200 wins in matches played among 29 World No. 1 champions in ATP Rankings history behind only Hall of Famer John McEnroe (200-45). Alcaraz is the third man born in the 2000s to reach the 200-win milestone following world No. 1 Jannik Sinner (247) and Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (213).
To put this elegant express ride to his 200th win in perspective, Alcaraz has registered 200 career wins faster than Rafa Nadal, Mats Wilander, Jimmy Connors and Boris Becker. And if he plays with the all-court command he produced tonight, Alcaraz has a lot more triumphs to give.
“It’s pretty good, obviously I was looking forward to playing as much matches as I can during the year,” Alcaraz said after scoring his sixth straight win. “I’m too young I guess so I’m looking forward to keep playing matches to keep doing what I’m doing.
“I’m really happy about it. Two hundred wins is a great number. I’m not really looking for the third hundred I just want to keep doing, keep rolling…I’m glad I passed Rafa.”
In one of his most dynamic performances of the season, Alcaraz served 56 percent, won a perfect 23 of 23 first-serve points and drilled 18 winners to 2 for Griekspoor, who was under an onslaught from the opening game.
Reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner Alcaraz will face Karen Khachanov for a semifinal spot.
Earlier, Khachanov fought off Francisco Cerundolo 7-6(4), 7-6(9).
The seventh-seeded Khachanov won 40 of 49 first-serve points defeating Cerundolo for the seventh time in as many meetings—the first time the Russian has scored seven Tour-level wins over an opponent. Khachanov will contest his fourth quarterfinal of the season against a red-hot Alcaraz, who torched his opponent from all areas of the court today.
Blitzing to a 5-0 lead, Alcaraz gobbled up mid-court balls and lashed lines winning nine of the first 11 games.
Wearing a sleeveless orange Nike top, Alcaraz disarmed Griekspoor from the outset.
Griekspoor held to get on the board after 21 minutes of play.
The Wimbledon winner whipped his third ace and a body serve for double set point. Alcaraz served out a superb 24-minute opening set at 15.
A swarming Alcaraz landed lines in a commanding set that saw him go a perfect 10 for 10 on his first-serve points and win all six points played on Griekspoor’s second serve.
Firing with smooth devastation, Alcaraz slammed a diagonal forehand winner breaking for a 2-1 second-set lead.
When Alcaraz wasn’t banging his opponent back behind the baseline with crackling drives, he was bamboozling him with finesse. Alcaraz flicked a forehand drop shot sealing his first love hold for a 6-1, 3-1 advantage.
Piling the pressure up on the world No. 39, an unrelenting Alcaraz scored his second straight break on Griekspoor’s first double fault to extend to 4-1.
Zapping an ace out wide on his second match point, Alcaraz scored his 200th win in 252 matches played.