World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz lost his first set in the tournament but secured a spot in the fourth round of the Australian Open with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 victory over Nuno Borges on Friday.
The 21-year-old Spaniard started his campaign calmly and confidently during the first week in Melbourne, which saw several top seeds eliminated by emerging players.
Alcaraz capitalized on two of four break-point opportunities to win the first set and broke his opponent’s serve once to clinch the second set before the Portuguese player mounted a comeback in the third.
Borges missed a set point at 6-5 with a long return but made no mistakes in the tiebreak, taking the set and leaving Alcaraz visibly frustrated.
Entering the fourth set like a man on a mission, Alcaraz broke Borges’ serve at the first opportunity, racing to a 2-0 lead with an incredible over-the-shoulder shot from the baseline.
Cheers echoed around the sunny Rod Laver Arena, and from that moment on, it seemed certain that Alcaraz would secure his spot in the fourth round for the 11th time in 16 Grand Slam appearances.
The remainder of the set featured Alcaraz's powerful serves, brilliant drop shots, and his signature flurry of forehand winners, sealing the match in under three hours of play.
