By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 10, 2025
Picture credit score: Cincinnati Open Fb
A month after Jannik Sinner dethroned Carlos Alcaraz within the Wimbledon remaining, the world No. 2 renewed his rivalry with the top-ranked Italian driving the ball deep on an Ohio golf course.
Right this moment, Alcaraz launched his Cincinnati return teeing off within the opening set earlier than hitting himself into deep tough.
In the end, Alcaraz used each membership in his bag to defeat Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in his Cincinnati Open opener.
In his first match since dropping to Sinner 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 within the Wimbledon remaining, Alcaraz confirmed little rust within the first set, fell right into a sloppy gap within the second set then broke twice within the decider to discourage a troublesome Dzumhur.
This was Alcaraz’s first hard-court match since his stunning three-set loss to David Goffin in his Miami Open opener.
For the ✌️
The second @carlosalcaraz completed off a wild one with Dzumhur to stretch his Masters profitable streak to 12! #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/Kw6nr8TiAb
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2025
Alcaraz transformed 5 of 10 break factors vs. the 5’9” Dzumhur, however didn’t save any of the three break factors he confronted, littered 44 unforced errors and suffered some focus lapses. Alcaraz netted a couple of drop photographs, constructed a 4-1 lead within the remaining set solely to double fault and muff a serve and volley at hand the break again within the seventh recreation. Credit score a troublesome Dzumhur, who took a set off two-time Roland Garros champion Alcaraz in Paris this yr, for combating all through.
Nonetheless, regardless of his mis-steps, Alcaraz drilled a deep forehand return then exploited his opponent’s lone double fault of the day to interrupt again for 5-3.
Serving for the third spherical, Alcaraz unleashed a 131 mph blast and closed in a single hour, 41 minutes.
After the hand shake, Alcaraz trotted again on the court docket and erupted in a “Vamos! Vamos!” scream expressing each pleasure and reduction.
The reigning Roland Garros champion scored his ATP-best forty ninth win of the season establishing a third-round conflict with both Hamad Medjedovic or Tallon Griekspoor.
Alcaraz grew up trying as much as tennis heroes Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Within the opening set, the Spaniard paid tribute to seven-time Cincinnati champion Federer that includes the Swiss Maestro’s famed SABR assault. Alcaraz ran down a difficult drop shot to earn set level within the seventh recreation.
Then the explosive Alcaraz recalled SABR taking a full dash as much as a second-serve return efficiently forcing the error to attain his third break and seize a one-set lead after simply 29 minutes of play.
Although Alcaraz was in free stream via the primary set he crashed within the second.
The five-time Grand Slam champion coughed up 17 unforced errors within the second set infusing Dzumhur with confidence and aggression.
In a sloppy fourth recreation, Alcaraz botched a volley, netted a forehand then ballooned a forehand drive effectively lengthy gifting Dzumhur the break and a 2-1 lead.
The 33-year-old Bosnian ran off 12 of 13 factors in a single stretch wrapping a pair of affection holds round that break for a 3-1 lead.
Struggling to win factors off his second serve, Alcaraz pushed a routine volley lengthy as Dzumhur scored his second straight break for 4-1.
Pumping his fist to his field, the world No. 56 backed up the break for 5-1. Alcaraz made successive return errors—his sixteenth and seventeenth of the set—as Dzumhur seized the second set to pressure a decider.
Alcaraz breezed via a love maintain for a 2-1 lead within the decider. Then the pair produced a spotlight reel recreation.
The speedy Alcaraz ran down a drop shot, dabbed a stretch volley then turned along with his again to internet sprinted again to the baseline and clubbed a tomahawk forehand move extending the fourth recreation to deuce. Drilling a diagonal forehand gave Alcaraz the break and a 3-1 lead.
Bringing the HEAT 🔥
360 levels of filth from @carlosalcaraz #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/a1F5kON4xd
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2025
Dabbing a drop shot, Alcaraz prolonged the result in 4-1 and gave the impression to be in whole command.
However a defiant Dzumhur stored battling and Alcaraz betrayed his trigger with some wayward shotmaking because the grew tighter once more.
“Alcaraz with the river card” 😱@carlosalcaraz #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/6fwa69NEwa
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2025
The Dzumhur double fault on break level gave Alcaraz a vital 5-3 lead and he took care of enterprise within the remaining recreation. An adventurous up and down win that sends the Spaniard into spherical three.
