Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz prolonged his excellent file in 2023 to 7-0 after a combating 6-4, 7-6(0) win over Serbian Dusan Lajovic to advance to the semi-finals of the Rio Open introduced by Claro on Friday.

The 19-year-old Spaniard rallied from 2-4 in each the primary and second units earlier than placing away the World No. 80 for the second time in as many weeks, having overwhelmed the 29-year-old 6-4, 6-2 within the Buenos Aires quarter-finals.

Regardless of clubbing 32 winners to Lajovic’s 13 and successful 16 of 17 internet approaches, Alcaraz won’t be solely completely satisfied together with his efficiency after forcing himself to work tougher than maybe wanted for victory. Along with happening breaks in each units and making 25 unforced errors, the Spaniard was damaged at 5-all within the second regardless of holding a 40/0 lead within the recreation.

The previous World No. 1 was pressured to save lots of a set level with some impressed play at internet within the following recreation earlier than operating away with the win within the tie-break.

“That is the purpose… to discover a approach to come again in opposition to a tricky opponent,” Alcaraz stated. “I needed to be actually focussed and be there on a regular basis ready for my possibilities.”

Closing in on back-to-back titles after triumphing in Buenos Aires final week in his season debut, the World No. 2 will meet Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry on Saturday.

Ought to he win his eighth tour-level title Sunday, Alcaraz will be a part of World No. 1 Novak Djokovic with 7,070 factors within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. However the 10-time Australian Open champion will stay atop the rankings as a result of he has earned extra factors at obligatory occasions throughout the previous 52 weeks.

Earlier within the day second seed Cameron Norrie saved alive the potential of a remaining showdown with Alcaraz for the second consecutive week after he rallied from a set right down to defeat Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. However he will likely be in search of a sharper begin Saturday in opposition to Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles, who reached his second consecutive semi-final after taking out countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

“I did not begin too nicely, was lacking a whole lot of returns and never making factors bodily like I wished to,” Norrie stated. “[After the first set] I wanted to be affected person with myself. I am undecided what occurred however I did not make a whole lot of returns and missed a few first balls on my serve, which is uncharacteristic. I simply hung in there and stepped it up once I wanted to.”

The Briton had a blended day on serve. He received a commanding 84 per cent of factors on his first serve however had hassle at occasions together with his toss and threw in seven double faults, together with two on match factors within the remaining recreation of the match.

”I felt I hit my spots higher than I did yesterday,” Norrie stated. “I had a few double faults however he was actually placing a whole lot of stress on my second and possibly I went after it a bit an excessive amount of. However I am not nervous about it. I simply want to come back out a bit stronger tomorrow and make it extra bodily like I did in Thiago within the second spherical.”

Chilean qualifier Jarry used his heavy groundstrokes to tear 28 winners to Sebastian Baez’s six in a 6-3, 7-6(3) win over the two-time ATP Tour Argentine titlist. Jarry, who has not dropped a set this week, got here into the event ranked 139, however has surged 54 locations within the Pepperstone ATP Reside Rankings to No. 85.

Jarry’s first-serve share dropped beneath 50 within the second set and he is aware of that he cannot afford to offer Alcaraz a take a look at so many second serves on Saturday. “My method in opposition to Carlos would be the similar because it has been all week: be aggressive and play my recreation. However I am going to must serve higher. Carlos will be capable to assault my second serve greater than Sebastian, who stands deep within the court docket to return.”

Jarry is seeking to advance to a tour-level remaining for the primary time since 2019, when he received his lone ATP Tour title in Bastad and completed runner-up in Geneva in a season by which he reached his career-high rating of No. 38.