A fellow Masters 1000 champion stands in Carlos Alcaraz’s way of a final spot at the Mutua Madrid Open, but it’s not anyone that tennis fans would have expected.
Borna Coric had won only three matches at ATP tournaments in 2023 prior to arriving in Madrid, but it has all turned around for him this fortnight–just as it did last summer in Cincinnati. The reigning Western & Southern Open winner is back in fine form with victories over Hugo Gaston, Hubert Hurkacz, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (in a third-set tiebreaker) and Daniel Altmaier.
Coric’s reward is a first-ever showdown with Alcaraz, who is the defending champion in Madrid and is bidding for his fourth Masters 1000 title overall. The Spaniard, set to celebrate his 20th birthday on Friday, has kicked off his title defense by beating Emil Ruusuvuori, Grigor Dimitrov, Alexander Zverev, and Karen Khachanov. Ruusuvuori took a set off Alcaraz, but no one else even pushed the top seed to a tiebreaker.
“He’s absolutely an unbelievable player in unbelievable shape in the moment, as well,” Coric said of his upcoming opponent. “So he’s the favorite and I’m going to just go out there and I’m going to enjoy himself. I like to play here in this stadium and it’s going to be a very cool feeling, for sure.”
Coric will be on defense from start to finish in this match, which is especially problematic in fast conditions at high altitude. Even though the 20th-ranked Croat will benefit from a quick match against Altmaier and a day off in between rounds, he will still be feeling a three-hour and 28-minute war with Davidovich Fokina in his legs. That isn’t ideal heading into a date with Alcaraz.
Since his scare against Ruusuvuori, the world No. 2 has looked unstoppable. There is no reason to think anything will change in the semis.
Pick: Alcaraz in 2
WWW?
Charlie the Great in 2.
I know I keep saying this but please can we go back to the no on court coaching for the ATP?
Surely the worst is Ferrero? He rabbits on and on. It’s like the WTA.
What an astonishing stat Koenig just came up with: At 20 Borg had been in 33 finals!!! Then Wilander at 21 and Rafa with 18. Alcaraz has been in 11 which puts some of the hype in perspective.
I looked up Rafa’s results for the year he turned 19 and compared them with Alcaraz’s. They are a lot better. Rafa won a lot more tournaments.
That would have been 2005 or so? Usually referred to as the ‘weak era’ by non Federer fans.
Yes 2005. And I don’t call it the weak era!! Rafa and Fed won the same number of titles – around 11.
I was mainly astonished by the 33 finals for Borg by 20. What an astonishing number!
Well a lot of people did call it weak .Not me.They just trying to say Fed had no competition when he was dominating.
Heard some stats read by Koenig also, wins on clay IIRc 93 % Rafa Borg second Alcaraz third
There was noone like Borg .
Wonder how many slams he would have won if he hadn’t suddenly stopped playing? Am thinking a lot.
I know very little about him but the 33 finals by 20 stat is insane….
Its the way he did what he did. Clay to grass, never showed a flicker of emotion until he had won , which he did often ,like a superhuman.