The 6 matches won by Alcaraz after saving match points

Last Saturday, Carlos Alcaraz showed that he is made of different stuff by saving two match points against Taylor Fritz to secure two points of vital importance for the Laver Cup for 'Team Europe', which ultimately claimed victory in part thanks to that dramatic conclusion. However, this is not the first time the Spanish player has achieved such a feat, as he is known for these types of comebacks.

The match against Fritz took place in a context where 'Team Europe' was on the ropes after the defeats of Flavio Cobolli and Alexander Zverev, and it became even more uphill when the American took the lead in the super tie-break against the Murcian player. Alcaraz thrives in these situations, and through remarkable shots, he lifted the crowd at the O2 Arena in London to turn things around and seal a monumental victory and the most viral moment of the entire competition. This marks the sixth occasion in which Alcaraz has won a match after saving match points, so let’s review the previous five.

Alcaraz vs De Miñaur at the Barcelona Open 2022

At that time, Alcaraz had not yet been number 1. In fact, he hadn't even won his first Grand Slam. Both accomplishments would come later that same year at the US Open. However, against De Miñaur, he recorded his first major comeback after saving two match points in the second set, where the Australian served twice to win the match. Ultimately, Carlos held on, won the tie break, and ended up winning the match with a score of 6-7, 7-6, and 6-4 after 3 hours and 35 minutes, securing his place in the final, where he won the tournament against Pablo Carreño.

Alcaraz vs Albert Ramos at Roland Garros 2022

A few weeks later, Alcaraz again embraced the epic in the second round of Roland Garros, where he struggled hard to overcome his compatriot Albert Ramos, who served in the fourth set to win the match and even had a match point. Once again, Carlos managed to break at the last minute, won the tie break, and secured his place in the next round in the fifth set with a score of 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4. However, this time it was not enough to win the tournament, as he lost to Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals.

Alcaraz vs Sinner at the US Open 2022

2022 was the year of comebacks for the Spanish tennis player, as he would achieve a third one against Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals of the US Open in a match that marked the true beginning of a rivalry that continues to this day. In that tournament, Alcaraz knew that if he lifted the trophy, he would win his first Grand Slam and become number 1, but against the Italian, he was on the verge of seeing his dreams shattered in a fourth set where his opponent again served for a spot in the next round. On this occasion, Carlos managed two consecutive breaks and ended up winning one of the best matches ever recalled in the tournament, with remarkable points of all kinds and a clear idea that both would face each other again in even bigger stages in the future, as eventually happened. The final score was 6-3, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5, and 6-3 after 5 hours and 15 minutes.

Alcaraz vs Hurkacz in Cincinnati 2023

Almost a year passed before Alcaraz found himself in a similar situation, this time in the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Masters 1000 against Hubert Hurkacz, who played one of the best matches he is remembered for. The Polish player had a break point at 5-4 in the second set to reach the finals of the tournament, but Carlos saved it, took the tie break, and eventually sealed his place in the final against Novak Djokovic with a score of 2-6, 7-6, and 6-3. However, in that match against the Serbian, he experienced the other side of the coin, as he lost in one of the best matches in Masters 1000 history after having a match point in the second set. Along with the match against Tommy Paul in Montreal 2022, those have been the only two encounters in which Alcaraz has squandered a match point.

Alcaraz vs Sinner at Roland Garros 2025

This match needs no introduction. As Alcaraz describes it, the most important victory of his career, in one of the best Grand Slam finals of all time. On paper, Carlos was the favorite playing on clay, but Sinner played a spectacular final and went up two sets to none. Although the Spanish player managed to win the third set, in the fourth Jannik took a 5-3 lead and 0-40 with Alcaraz’s serve. When everything seemed lost, the Spaniard achieved the impossible, saved his serve, and then broke Sinner's serve to take the set in the tie break and force a fifth set, where everything was decided in a practically flawless super tie-break by Alcaraz. The best match on this list, one that deserves to be watched a thousand and one times.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los 6 partidos ganados por Alcaraz tras salvar bolas de partido