Alcaraz ousts Tsitsipas, in semis

Barcelona, April 23

Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz thrilled the home crowd by beating top-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in three sets to advance to the semifinals of the Barcelona Open.

Alcaraz won the quarterfinal match 6-4 5-7 6-2 after breaking the fifth-ranked Greek five times on the outdoor claycourt named for Rafael Nadal.

The 18-year-old Alcaraz is aiming for his third title of the season after he won at Rio de Janeiro in February and in Miami this month.

Alcaraz called it his biggest win on clay. “Unbelievable game that I played, unbelievable atmosphere that I lived today on court. It was unbelievable everything,” the precocious talent who is drawing comparisons to a young Nadal said.

Alcaraz will face Alex de Minuar after the Australian beat fourth-seeded Cameron Norrie 6-3 5-7 6-1.

Red-hot Swiatek

Stuttgart: Top-ranked Iga Swiatek ended US Open champion Emma Raducanu’s first clay tournament run by 6-4 6-4 to move into the Stuttgart Open semifinals.

Swiatek extended her win streak to 21 matches and moved closer to what would be a fourth consecutive title after victories in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami.

The quarterfinal was much closer than their only previous encounter at any level, a 6-0 6-1 win for Swiatek at 2018 Junior Wimbledon, but Raducanu’s lack of experience on clay still told against former French Open champion Swiatek. — AP