Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria celebrates after defeating Carlos Alcaraz of Spain through the Miami Open tennis match, on March 28, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
| Photo Credit: AP
Carlos Alcaraz’s hopes for a Sunshine Double got here undone in spectacular style because the top-seeded Spaniard fell 6-2 6-4 on Thursday to Grigor Dimitrov, who will transfer on to face Alexander Zverev within the Miami Open semi-finals.
Dimitrov, the Bulgarian eleventh seed, received 77% of his first-serve factors in contrast to simply 56% for Alcaraz, turned apart 4 of the 5 break factors he confronted and broke the Spaniard 4 occasions through the 92-minute encounter.
It was a crushing defeat for Alcaraz, who arrived in Miami filled with confidence after lifting the Indian Wells title 11 days in the past however fell three wins shy of turning into the primary man to clinch the Sunshine Double since Roger Federer in 2017.
Up subsequent for Dimitrov shall be German fourth seed Zverev, who overcame tough situations to beat Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-3 7-5 within the day’s first match on the Stadium court docket.
Zverev attacked Marozsan’s serve and transformed three of his seven break-point probabilities, swatted apart the 2 break factors he confronted and received 80% of his first serve factors en route to the final 4 in Miami the place he has but to drop a set.
Despite not dropping a set in windy situations, Zverev had his arms full with Marozsan, who’s making his Miami debut and loved top-10 upsets over Holger Rune and Alex de Minaur on the best way to the quarter-finals.
“If he continues playing like that he’s going to rise up the rankings very quickly and he’s going to be one of those (top 10) guys himself,” Zverev mentioned in his on-court interview.
“When we are in control, I think all top players when they are in control they feel like they can manage the match, manipulate the match a little bit in their own favour.
“But towards him that is not potential. That’s why he has such an ideal top-10 document and he is an unbelievable participant.”
Zverev’s win, sealed with a break when he unleashed a superb backhand down the road, marked his return to the Miami Open semi-finals for the primary time since his runner-up end in 2018.
