American tennis player Tommy Paul created a sensation at the start of the Masters in Montreal and knocked out the fourth player in the world, Spanish Carlos Alcaraz, from the tournament.
After three hours and 24 minutes of play, Paul defeated Alcaraz 2:1, in sets (4) 6:7, 7:6(7), 6:3 and advanced to the second round of the tournament.
The first break of the match was made by Alcaraz in the third game, after he used the third break opportunity. The American returned the lost serve in the next game and equalized at 2:2.
There were no breaks until the end of the set, so the winner was decided by a tie-break. Alcaraz did better there and won the first set.
When the favored Spaniard got a break at the start of the second set and took a 2:0 lead, it seemed that he would routinely bring the match to an end, but Paul also wondered. The American managed to return the break in the seventh game and level the score at 4:4. Then both players lost their serve one more time, and the winner of the second set was again decided by a tie-break.
This time, Paul, ranked 34th in the world, had more nerves, saved the match point and reached the tie in sets.
In the third and deciding set, Paul broke in the fourth game and took the lead 3:1. The American was sure of his serve and did not allow Alcaraz a single break point and thus reached one of the biggest victories in his career.
Polo’s opponent in the next round will be the better of the duel between Marin Čilić and Karen Hačanov.
