Alcaraz broke through at the Madrid Open, emerging from a tense moment against his opponent, Georgian Nemesis Basilashvili, to set up a sixteenth-final clash that delighted the local crowd at Caja Mágica. The match ended 6-3, 7-5 in favor of the Spaniard as the stadium hummed with energy from fans who had filled the venue long before the last ball was struck.
The Murcian midfielder of the rackets arrived in Madrid as the new Barcelona champion, boasting a top-ten ranking and seen as the hottest young talent on the tour. He began the event late in the session, and again more than 10,000 spectators remained in attendance into the early hours of the morning, lending the event a carnival atmosphere that underscored the city’s passion for tennis.
Alcaraz has been breaking records all season. This marked his second Madrid appearance, but his first as the seventh seed. The fact that he had celebrated a one-year birthday and was stepping into a fresh illusion did not define the moment. In the past year he had already logged twenty-four wins with only four losses in 2022. Entering Caja Mágica with clear ambition, the Spaniard pushed his game to new heights, moving beyond cautious promises from the previous season.
With that pressure piling up, he faced an opponent he had previously beaten at Roland Garros. Alcaraz found it challenging to settle into the pace of the match, losing his serve early as Basilashvili fought to seize the momentum. The Georgian earned an early 3-1 advantage, but the Spaniard’s response was swift and forceful. A six-game run flipped the script and put Alcaraz in control as the sleeve of the set was turned in his favor.
The second set saw Basilashvili edge ahead briefly, establishing a two-game lead and taking advantage of a moment to seize momentum. Yet Alcaraz answered decisively, stifling Basilashvili’s momentum and reclaiming control as the set wore on. He found a way to close out the match in one hour and a half, sealing the victory in straight sets to advance further in the tournament.
The Spaniard now looked toward the tougher stretch of the draw, with the horizon featuring Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the coming rounds. In the round of 16, the winner of the duel between American John Isner and British ninth seed Cameron Norrie would await the victor, creating a high-stakes, marquee clash on the Madrid clay.
Alcaraz: “I feel lucky because people love me so much”
The Spaniard expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from the Caja Mágica crowd, who filled the central court despite the late hour. “I felt very sheltered by all the people and the affection in the Magic Box. I feel lucky to have experienced such a moment, and people love me very much,” he said after the match. He described how he fought to the last ball, believing that every point earned him more points and the crowd’s standing ovation validated his effort. He also expressed thanks for the day-long encouragement that kept him energized until the end, noting that the spectators’ presence had felt almost unbelievable to him at times.
Looking ahead, Alcaraz tempered expectations with practicality, noting a preference for earlier matches as a better rhythm for recovery. “It’s not ideal for recovery between some matches and others. I’d rather play earlier,” he concluded, signaling a practical mindset about balancing schedule and performance as the tournament progresses.