Follow usTop seed Carlos Alcaraz, playing for the first time since early November, shrugged off chilly conditions to sweep into the semi-finals of the Argentina Open with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic on Friday.
What a way to end!
In a highlight reel match, @carlosalcaraz finishes off Lajovic 6-4 6-2 to secure his spot in the semis.@ArgentinaOpen | #ArgOpen2023 pic.twitter.com/t2F9WPwyv5
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 18, 2023
The Spanish world number two, who is making his return to tennis at this week’s event in Buenos Aires after a four-month injury layoff, eased into the last four with a comfortable victory in one hour and 33 minutes.
“Everything was very different from what we have been used to – there was rain and it was cold,” 19-year-old Alcaraz said of the conditions.
“But the tennis player’s day-to-day job is to adapt to the conditions, and I think a great match came out. I have competed very well, I have played at a great level, but I want to continue improving in the semi-finals.”
Friday’s quarter-finals took place in chilly conditions after a week of wild weather swings in Buenos Aires which saw temperatures go from 38.1 C (100.6 degrees Fahrenheit) last Sunday to 7.9C (46.2F) on Thursday.
Alcaraz will face either Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles, who beat Argentinian fifth seed Francisco Cerundolo in three sets in the last four.
In the other side of the draw, Peruvian qualifier Juan Pablo Varillas will play Britain’s Cameron Norrie for a place in the final.
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