Carlos Alcaraz continues to impress despite loss to Matteo Berrettini

With every new day in the tennis world, the rise of Carlos Alcaraz becomes even more inevitable. He is the youngest player in the top 100, the youngest to win 30 matches in a season since Rafael Nadal many moons ago, and during last year’s breakout season he became the youngest US Open quarter-finalist in the Open era, winning a title and earning his first grand slam seeding for good measure.

But on Friday evening, after four long and exhausting hours of play, Matteo Berrettini, the seventh seed, played the role of a seasoned veteran as he drew on every inch of his growing wealth of experience to delay the Spaniard for at least one more tournament.

Berrettini had led by two sets, only to see his lead crumble before an 18 year-old who played without fear or favour, but he eventually recovered to defeat Alcaraz 6-2, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 (5). On Friday night, Rafael Nadal also reached the fourth round in far less complicated circumstances after he defeated Karen Khachanov, the 28th seed, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.

“I was telling myself that the guy that would have won the match was the guy that wanted it more. So I guess I wanted it more,” said Berrettini. “But this is just a sentence I was telling myself to feel ready, and I think in the end it’s about fighting and trying and do the right things. I really fought hard. That’s what I think made the difference.”

Alcaraz, seeded 31st, has already established himself as one of the brightest young players in the game, boasting athleticism, dynamic weapons and relentless competitiveness. The homework for Alcaraz in the off-season was to improve his serve, one of the obvious weaker points in his game, and to continue working on his physicality. He has indeed started the season placing