Rotterdam, Feb 8 Carlos Alcaraz declared his latest performance at the Rotterdam Open a ‘perfect match’ after storming into his first ATP Tour semi-final of the season. The Spaniard dismantled compatriot Pedro Martinez 6-2, 6-1 on Friday, maintaining his dominance over countrymen with his 12th consecutive win against a fellow Spaniard.
"I played really good tennis today, a really high level. And I have done the right things again," Alcaraz said after the match. "I was really focused before the match, on my things, on my own tennis. I tried to put everything in today. Being aggressive, pushing him to the limit every point. I think I did the perfect match and I am happy to keep improving every day. Hopefully in the semi-finals I will be even better."
Alcaraz, 21, showed no signs of fatigue after needing three sets to overcome Botic van de Zandschulp in his Rotterdam debut. He followed that up with a commanding win over Andrea Vavassori in the second round and was equally dominant against Martinez, wrapping up their 71-minute clash in clinical fashion. The top seed fired 17 winners in the first set and never faced a break point.
The Spaniard has now joined an elite group of countrymen to reach the semi-finals at the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam, following in the footsteps of his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero (2004), Rafael Nadal (2009), and Pablo Carreno Busta (2020). Alcaraz will next meet Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in his 33rd tour-level semi-final as he seeks his first title since Beijing in October.
Martinez, 27, had been chasing his first tour-level semi-final but struggled to keep pace with Alcaraz’s power. Despite his exit, the Spaniard’s strong showing in Rotterdam—including wins over Roberto Bautista Agut and Holger Rune—has lifted him to No. 40 in the ATP Live Rankings.
In the final match of the day, Hurkacz booked his place in the last four by outlasting 2021 Rotterdam champion Andrey Rublev 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4. The eighth seed fired 17 aces en route to a two-hour, 27-minute victory, improving his Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Rublev to 4-2. The win also ensures Hurkacz’s return to the Top 20 in the PIF ATP Rankings, having briefly fallen out for the first time since April 2021.
Competing in his 21st tour-level semi-final and first since Halle in June, Hurkacz now has his sights set on his ninth ATP Tour title. With both Alcaraz and Hurkacz in top form, their semi-final showdown promises to be a thrilling contest at the Ahoy Arena.
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