Alcaraz struggles but wins five-set thriller to reach 4th round

By Paul Lagan at Wimbledon

Centre Court

Carlo Alcaraz v Frances Tiafoe
5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2

The champion struggled but that’s the thing about champions, they somehow manage to get through.
Five sets of errors, wonderful play by Frances Tiafoe and the odd eccentric miss and classy shots summed up Carlos Alcaraz’s third round match.
He was lucky to get into the second week, and he will be beholding to his spectacular backhand which came to his aid more than once.
The early games proved difficult for both players to hold and when Alcaraz broke the US right-hander it looked s if he would take the first set.
However the No3 seed and reigning Wimbledon champion has started all his matches in the lower gears, and was immediately broken back.
Tiafoe won his game to level at 4-4 and then lifted his arms as if to entice the crowd to his side.
They want a long game, so were happy to do so.
Alcaraz struggle with bis first serve in the ninth game, – but he survived two break points to steal the game to make it 5-4
Oratia cruised through his next game to love with Alcaraz u able to latch o to any of his serves.
The Us man tried his arm at getting to the net whenever possible and it paid dividends resulting in yet another beak point in his favour. A wonderful return was deep and Alcaraz smacked the ball I to the net to make it 6-5 with serve to follow.
The pop of a Champagne cork when serving was a minor distraction for Tiafoe and he duly won his game and the first set.
The opening games almost mirrors those of the first set – going with serve, but with Tiafoe’s looking more secure.
And so it continued as the man from Murcia broke the resistance of Tiafoe in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead.
Could Alcaraz hold his serve again?
He did, but just.
It gave him a stronghold in the set and Tiafoe served to save the set.
Alcaraz’s weapon of choice which rescued the second set was his back hand drives. And they pulverised Tiafoe on his serve. A classic cross-court backhand on set point was perfection and the game was level.
It was a painful first game for Alcaraz but he somehow managed to squeeze the extra point needed to take it.
Tiafoe breezed through his game, while Alcaraz again struggled on his. A terrific forehand down the line which zipped past Alcaraz secured his game. Tiafoe blitzed his to make it 2-2.
Who would choke first – a game a piece then saw Alcaraz struggle again on his service.
Tiafoe took advantage of the Spaniard’s indecision on shot selection to lob him on break point. Alcaraz raced to the baseline, played the classic ball between the leg shot, which relay succeeds. It didn’t in this case and the US player took a 4-3 lead on his serve.
Soon it was 5-4 with Tiafoe 30-15 up. Alcaraz responded with a net drop shot to make it a tense 30 all.
Alcaraz then hit long – again, leaving set point to Tiafoe. He blew by hitting wide. A fine first serve restored set point. Then a wide return gave the point, game and set to Tiafoe after two hours and 21 minutes.
If there was a Ground hog Day for tennis, this match would be it as the opening games, like the previous ones, all went with serve.
Tiafoe kept his levels up, while Alcaraz simply seemed to be running on fumes.
The set got to 3-3 on serve.
The excitement levels in the crowd started to reach fever pitch as the set was heading towards its climax.
Alcaraz finally tried to gee up the crowd in his favour as he fought back from love 30 to win his game to take the set to 4-5 with Tiafoe serving.
He made it 5-5 with a fantastic get that just dropped over the net to take the game.
Tiafoe, for the first time appeared to lose his match focus as Alcaraz easily won is service game to take a 6-5 lead.
Will the American falter art the final hurdle.
He didn’t and the match went to a potentially deciding tie-break.
Alcaraz served first and won his point.
A brilliant point won by Alcaraz gave him a 2-0 lead.
The Spaniard back hand opened the court for him to make a forehand winner to go 3-0 in the lead.
A long lob by Tiafoe made it 4-0 to Alcaraz.
An ace followed and it was 5-0 to Alcaraz.
Tiafoe struck lucky went Alcaraz went long, who slipped in the process, getting some sympathy from the crowd. But it was 1-5 on Tiafoe’s serve.
Alcaraz failed to win any of the top quality rallies and a lob by Tiafoe meant he still did not.
A powerful second serve set up a set point for Alcaraz, which he duly won as Tiafoe went long with his return.
The crowd were a tad more relaxed at he opening of the final set. But neither player could relax.
In the third game, Alcaraz finally had a break chance and it was his wondrous backhand that took the game to give him a 2-1 lead with bis serve to come.
Another Champagne popping cork from the crowd moment halted Alcaraz’s serve. But while he lost the point, he managed to win the game to go 3-1 up.
For once the deft shot by Alcaraz proved to be a winner and it happened on Tiafoe’s serve which saw him broken again. Alcaraz took a 4-1 final set lead.
Now it was Tiafoe who was running on fumes, mishitting shot wide , giving easy wins for Alcaraz.
And then it was 5-1 to Alcaraz.
A game win for Tiafoe, gave him minor respite as Alcaraz served for the match.
For once Alcaraz’s forehand produced a clear winner to make it 30 love.
It was all going his way and he set up match point with a dinked drop shot.

And then it was over.

Pictured top: Action as Alcaraz wins on Centre Court Picture by Paul Lagan