Alcaraz mows down Kecmanovic to reach Australian Open quarter-finals
A turbo-charged Carlos Alcaraz powered into the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time on Monday as the second seed dismantled Serb Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 to leave fans on Rod Laver Arena awestruck.
Alcaraz came into the match full of energy after his third-round clash with China's Shang Juncheng was cut short due to the wild card's injury and the 20-year-old Spaniard was too good for Kecmanovic under the lights on Rod Laver Arena.
"I did everything almost perfectly. In our Miami 2022 match it was closer. It was a good match today as well. I pushed him to the limit in every point," said Alcaraz, who set up a clash with sixth seed Alexander Zverev.
"I could take my chances in every set ... I'm feeling better and better every day. Every match that I play, I've been feeling more comfortable."
Alcaraz broke in the third game of the match and held in the next one to stretch his lead to 3-1 with a fiery backhand winner - one of 18 in the opening set alone - as the 20-year-old set the tone for the match with an early display of aggression.
Kecmanovic, who came through two five-setters to set up his second meeting with Alcaraz, regrouped after dropping the first set and stayed firm until the seventh game of the next when his opponent struck with a break and then doubled his advantage.
"He played a lot of matches in five sets and a lot of tough matches, so probably he was not at 100%," said Alcaraz.
Things looked bleak for the 60th ranked Kecmanovic when he quickly found himself a double break down in the third set as an awestruck centre court crowd was unusually subdued when Alcaraz moved in for the kill.
There were huge roars when the twice Grand Slam champion sealed the victory, however, and Alcaraz was appreciative.
"It's a pleasure to play here on Rod Laver Arena. It's a beautiful court," he said.
"The people here in Melbourne are so kind and I enjoy playing in front of you. Thanks to you I play my best level. I feel at home."
Medvedev sees off Borges to reach quarters
World number three Daniil Medvedev struggled to contain the power of Portugal's Nuno Borges at the Australian Open on Monday but the Russian emerged with a 6-3, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-1 victory to reach quarter-finals.
Twice a runner-up at Melbourne Park, Medvedev squandered a big lead in the third set but got back on track in the fourth to set up a last eight meeting with Pole Hubert Hurkacz, who beat French wild card Arthur Cazaux.
"Third set was tough physically because he was playing very aggressive," said Medvedev.
"Like, as I soon as I would hit one shot in a rally that was not aggressive or deep enough, he would go full power. It was pretty impressive.
"I didn't play long enough or good enough, missed too much, some double faults."
The 27-year-old, who reached the final in 2021 and 2022, was rock solid in the first set, where he did not face a single break point, and pulled away from Borges after building a 4-2 lead to seal the set in 35 minutes.
World number 69 Borges, who reached the fourth round by stunning 13th seed Grigor Dimitrov, came out fighting in the second set, mixing up his game with delicate drop shots and traded breaks with his opponent before fading in the tiebreak.
The Portuguese 26-year-old looked on course for a straight sets defeat as former U.S. Open champion Medvedev edged ahead in the third after recovering from a break but things began to fall apart for the Russian.
After saving four break points to hold for 5-2 he wasted two match points as the double faults began to pile up.
Borges continued to serve and volley with devastating effect and claimed five successive games to pull a set back.
Fans hoping for an upset were left disappointed, however, as Medvedev steadied the ship and sailed through the fourth set, which he claimed when Borges went long with a forehand.
"I hoped it wouldn't be five sets. I'm happy it wasn't," said Medvedev, who was taken the distance by Emil Ruusuvuori earlier in the tournament.
"Before this match I was feeling 100% but he made me run.
"That's why I missed so much in the third set, I was pretty dead. In the fourth I managed to raise my energy levels and now I'm tired again. One day off, I should be okay."
Borges is only the second player from his country to reach the second week of a major.
Hurkacz eliminates wildcard Cazaux in straight sets
Ninth seed Hubert Hurkacz knocked out French wildcard Arthur Cazaux with a 7-6(6), 7-6(3), 6-4 win to advance to his first Australian Open quarter-final.
Cazaux had beaten world number eight Holger Rune in the second round.
