Ever since he emerged on the Tour as a precocious teenager, Carlos Alcaraz has been compared to Rafael Nadal; for his tenacity, shot-making and attitude. On Tuesday, the Spaniard not only kept alive his hopes of a second straight Wimbledon title, he also showed that he shares another trait with his compatriot.
For a set and a bit, Tommy Paul, the American who won the title at Queen’s Club last month, matched and even had the better of Alcaraz. But like those select few who have been able to live with Nadal for a while only to fall away under the weight of the physical and mental contest, the sheer effort of keeping pace with the world No 3 proved to be too much. Gaining strength with each set, Alcaraz pulled away for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory and a place in the semi-finals.
