ATP Finals: Alcaraz sails into semis on debut, sets showdown with Djokovic

TURIN: World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz finished on top of the Red Group after a 6-4, 6-4 win over Daniil Medvedev on Friday, setting up a thrilling semifinal clash with six-time champion Novak Djokovic in the ATP Finals.

All four of the world's top-ranked players have advanced from the group stage. Medvedev, the 2020 champion, is set to face Italian contender Jannik Sinner in the other semifinal match.

Notably, the 20-year-old Alcaraz, who is making his ATP Finals debut, has become the youngest ATP Finals semifinalist since Rafael Nadal in 2006.

Interestingly, Nadal marked his ATP Finals debut as world No.2 at the age of 20 in 2006.

Alcaraz and Medvedev delivered an exhibition of high-quality shot-making at a packed Pala Alpitour in Turin. The Spaniard showcased increased aggression, pushing forward to gain an edge against the World No. 3.

A pivotal moment came when Alcaraz reeled off seven consecutive points in the first set, breaking Medvedev’s serve to love at 3-3. Alcaraz, who is making his Nitto ATP Finals debut, played with variety, often mixing in serve-and-volleys and drop shots to counter Medvedev’s deep court positioning, reports ATP tour.

Alcaraz improves to 3-2 against Medvedev in their ATP Head-to-Head series, with the Spaniard’s trio of victories all coming in 2023.