Carlos Alcaraz defeated Tommy Paul in straight sets at the Vienna Open on Friday, winning 6-4, 7-6 to book a place in the semifinals of the ATP 500 event, according to EL PAÍS. The match lasted close to two hours, and the Spaniard will face Daniil Medvedev on Saturday for a spot in the final.
The second set was the tighter of the two. Paul held his serve throughout much of it and at one stage led 5-4, with neither player able to convert break opportunities as service games dominated. Alcaraz survived a difficult service game of his own, saving several break points before holding, EL PAÍS reported. The set went to a tiebreak, where the Spaniard proved the steadier of the two and closed out the match.
Why it matters
The win keeps Alcaraz's strong record at ATP 500 level intact and puts him two matches from another title on indoor hard courts. For Paul, the defeat ends a run in which he pushed one of the tour's leading players to the edge without managing to take a set. The semifinal against Medvedev sets up a meeting between two players with very different styles, and the winner will go into Sunday's final with momentum behind them.
A first set decided by one break
Paul, according to EL PAÍS, made the stronger start and took the opening game of the match. The early exchanges were close, with both players making errors as they settled in, and Alcaraz's first service game was controlled by his forehand.
The fourth game proved decisive. Alcaraz broke Paul's serve there after a series of high-quality rallies, having earlier seen a 0-40 lead slip away as the American fought back to level. From that point the Spaniard consolidated the break and served out the set. EL PAÍS noted that his backhand was particularly effective across the first set, and that he combined patience under pressure with some of his best tennis once the opportunity to break arrived.
Paul, for his part, was not passive. The report described him as playing with power and forcing Alcaraz to work for consistency, and he held serve comfortably in several games. A fine drop shot from Alcaraz saved a break point at a key moment in the set.
Service holds and a tiebreak in the second
The second set followed a different pattern. Both players, and Paul in particular, were difficult to break, and the set moved toward a tiebreak with few clear chances on either side. Paul edged ahead at various points, including a 5-4 lead, while Alcaraz responded with clean service games of his own, including one to level at 5-5.
EL PAÍS reported that Alcaraz had to dig deep in one service game, fending off multiple break points from Paul before holding. The American's shot-making drew praise in the report, with several games featuring extended rallies that the outlet described as excellent tennis from both men.
At 6-6 the set went to a tiebreak. Alcaraz, according to the report, was the more solid player in it and took it to seal the match. The result was reported by MARCA as a win over a combative Paul, and by El Confidencial as a straight-sets victory that sent the Spaniard through to the last four. Mundo Deportivo described the performance in strong terms as well.
What to watch
Alcaraz meets Medvedev on Saturday from 3 p.m. local time, with a place in the Vienna final at stake, EL PAÍS reports.
