I had my chances in the tiebreak and I didn’t make the most of them, making decisions that I regret, to be honest.
Alcaraz answered to the question that emotions changed the match. “100%”. He broke first and served for 5-4 in the opening set. It was then, he said, that nerves started to set in. “I started the match really well, but suddenly at 5-4 I felt the nerves serving the first set,” he said. “I think he started playing tighter, playing a little bit better from the baseline. When I wasn’t getting free points on serve, I struggled a little bit in the rallies, which made it even more difficult for me.”
Fritz won the first set 12-10 after saving three set points. “I had my chances in the tiebreak and I didn’t make the most of them, making decisions that I regret, to be honest,” Alcaraz said. “Second set, kind of the same feeling.”
“I started smiling”
In the second set, the match became 3-5 when Alcaraz saved Fritz’s first match point with his own serve and held. “After that 5-3, I saved that game and started to get all the nerves out,” he said. “I started to enjoy it because I hit great shots and great scores. I started smiling, I started bringing people’s energy to the meeting. I tried to harness their energy, try to have some fun, and after that I started to enjoy every second, every point. I think that’s the key today.”
“This match will probably be one of the most special matches I’ve ever played,” he added. “I will remember this match for a long time,” Alcaraz, who had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in Pariswill face either Nuno Borges or Kasper Ruud in the semi-finals on Saturday.