August 01, (THEWILL) – World number one Carlos Alcaraz defeated American Tommy Paul 6-3 7-6(7) in the quarter-finals of the Olympic tennis tournament on Thursday. The 21-year-old Spaniard needed 121 minutes to overcome Paul in a match played in humid conditions.
Alcaraz faced challenges during the second set, trailing 5-3 at one point. However, he rallied to force a tiebreak and eventually clinched victory. The win came after an emotional doubles loss with Rafael Nadal the previous day, which may have been Nadal’s final Roland Garros appearance.
Despite feeling fatigued from playing seven matches in six days, Alcaraz cited representing Spain as motivation to persevere. He emphasised the importance of the Olympics, which occur every four years, and the need to maintain peak performance both on and off the court.
Alcaraz will face either Felix Auger Aliassime of Canada or Norway’s Casper Ruud in the semi-finals. The Spanish star is aiming to add an Olympic gold medal to his 2024 French Open and Wimbledon titles.
Paul, seeded ninth, had opportunities to win the second set but was unable to capitalise. Alcaraz’s ability to raise his game at crucial moments proved decisive, as demonstrated by his impressive backhand winner to save a set point in the tiebreak.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
