𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Ace! 15-0. And another… 30-0.

Fritz gets a touch on the next serve, but he’s sent so far wide, and his return is also well wide. 40-0.

Fritz moves to the net, but Alcaraz flicks a forehand right at his feet, and the American can’t get it back!

Set! Alcaraz claims the opening frame.

Fritz with an ace to get going, but he nets a backhand under pressure from Alcaraz on the next point. 15-15.

Alcaraz makes it 30-30, luring in Fritz with a drop shot, and countering the American’s own drop shot with a flicked pass cross-court; Fritz dives at the ball but can’t get there!

Break point to Alcaraz, and set point with it, as a rally of deep shots ends with Fritz going slightly long. 30-40.

Saved! Best play of the match from Fritz, who paints the line with a deep backhand then – after a great get from Alcaraz – wrongfoots the champ with a forehand.

Big serve brings up game point, and one more puts pressure on Alcaraz, who can’t get the ball back on the next shot.

Fritz has actually served really well in this set, but will that break in the very first game cost him?

Alcaraz holds to love, finishing the game with a serve and drop volley. Just ridiculous, is this kid.

Alcaraz tries a signature drop shot out of nowhere, but the backhand lands narrowly wide. 15-0.

30-0 follows, and it becomes 40-0 when Fritz reacts well to a net cord and chips a forehand drop shot over for a winner.

Now the fifth seed drives a forehand long while on the run, after a lovely, accelerated forehand by Alcaraz. 40-15.

Alcaraz’s turn to hit long on the forehand, and Fritz holds well.

15-15, then Alcaraz slings an ace into the corner.

Fritz wins a longer rally, whipping an outside-in forehand into the corner and forcing Alcaraz to strike long. 30-30.

Alcaraz gets over the line from there, however, for another hold of serve.

Fritz with a strong return, then he steps in on a short shot to slam home a forehand. 0-15.

Parity restored by Alcaraz when Fritz can only fling a deep serve long on the return. 15-15.

Another big serve is too much for Fritz, 30-15.

But a brilliant return now! Fritz steps to his left and punches a backhand down the line, right into the corner for a winner. 30-30.

On the deuce side of the court, Fritz again can’t get his feet right as Alcaraz drives a body serve through the turf, then a sliced ace down the T wraps up the hold.

Fritz with a let then a fault, but his second serve is still too powerful for Alcaraz, whose return goes nowhere. 15-0.

Again Fritz overpowers Alcaraz to move to 30-0, and it’s 40-0 when a stretching Alcaraz flails at a shot and chops it long.

One more massive serve, out in the corner, and Alcaraz can only get a frame on it.

A hold to love is exactly what Fritz needed!

Alcaraz with a hold to love, as Fritz barely gets close to returning any of those swift serves.

Really crisp hitting from both men on the first point, until Fritz fluffs a forehand, allowing Alcaraz to step in… where the Spaniard plops a drop shot over the net for a winner.

Big serve and forehand from Fritz on the next point, and Alcaraz nudges a forehand long. 15-15.

Fritz laughs as a ballkid chases a bird off the net!

Alcaraz back in front as he has Fritz running from side to side, before gently stroking home a forehand in the corner. 15-30.

Now Alcaraz brings up two break points! But the first is saved by an ace down the T. 30-40.

Another big serve, but Alcaraz gets really lucky two shots later, as the net cord hands him a winner and the break!