By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Carlos Alcaraz was forced to a third set by upset-minded Luca Nardi in Doha, but pulled out the win to reach the quarterfinals.
Photo Source: TTV
Carlos Alcaraz’s attempt to reach the Doha final on his debut went off the rails in the second set against Luca Nardi on Wednesday evening. But the top seed put the train back on the tracks and steamed ao a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory, setting a quarterfinal with Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, and stretcghing his personal winning streak to seven victories.
Lehecka took out Fabian Marozsan, 6-4, 6-2, in 64 minutes on Wednesday.
It was much more complicated for Alcaraz, however...
Alcaraz led 6-1, 4-1 and had break points for a double break lead in the second set, but suddenly Nardi caught fire and reeled off the final five games of the middle set to force a third set.
“I think I played a good game,” Alcaraz said. “He just played better at the end [of the set]. It seemed like he started to play like the No.1 of the world. I felt like I couldn’t do anything. I tried to stay there as much as I can, to stay strong mentally.
“Probably my energy level went down a little bit, but credit to him from 4-1 in the second set, I’m just really happy to forget everything and restart in the third set.”
It was an incredible patch from Nardi, whose claim to fame is defeating Novak Djokovic in the third round at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells last year. That was Nardi’s only previous match against a Top-5 player.
Today he put a scare into third-ranked Alcaraz, but was edged by his fellow 21-year-old, who played decisive tennis in the final set to advance in one hour and 51 minutes.
Alcaraz finished with 27 winners and 30 unforced errors; Nardi hit 14 winners and 34 unforced errors.
After the match, the pair had a warm moment at the net, with Alcaraz showing his respect for the Italian’s performance.
“I think more than the tennis it was a really good level mentally,” Alcaraz said. “I was really strong mentally, just trying to give him [the impression] that I’m there. Screaming vamos just to push me up a little bit and trying to get the good energy again.
“I played really good tennis in the third set, but I’m more proud about my energy level, that I got it going in the third set.”
Meddy Marches into Quarterfinals
In other action on Wednesday in Doha, Daniil Medvedev blasted past Belgium’s Zizou Bergs in 57 minutes, 6-2, 6-1, while Jack Draper was nearly as efficient as he took out Christopher O’Connell, 6-2 6-1 in 59 minutes.
Second-seeded Alex de Minaur defeated Botic Van de Zandschulp, 6-3, 6-4, while fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev defeated Nuno Borges, 6-3, 6-4.
Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced when Hamad Medjedovic pulled out due to injury, the Serbian injuring his upper leg during his upset win over Stefanos Tsitsipas on Tuesday.