Alcaraz advances to Rio Open semi-finals after straight-sets win over Lajovic
Spanish rising star Carlos Alcaraz, ranked World No. 2, defeated Dusan Lajovic of Serbia 6-4, 7-6 (0) to reach the Rio Open semifinals. The win keeps Alcaraz on a strong run in the ATP 500 event played on clay in Rio de Janeiro, a tournament he claimed last year. The 19-year-old from Murcia showed steadier form than in the previous day’s clash with Fabio Fognini, and the victory sent him into the later rounds with momentum on his side.
Returning from a four-month layoff caused by injury, Alcaraz needed one hour and 54 minutes to subdue Lajovic, who had himself defeated the Argentine Diego Schwartzman in the opening round. In Rio, Alcaraz has continued a remarkable run that began to take shape in Buenos Aires and extended through last week’s Argentine Open. The Spaniard’s victory over Lajovic marks the latest step in a season that has already seen him regain top form on the South American clay tour.
Looking ahead, Alcaraz will meet the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Brazil’s sixth seed Sebastián Báez and Chile’s Nicolás Jarry, as he sets his sights on a place in Saturday’s final. In the other half of the bracket, Brazil’s own Cameron Norrie, the second seed, stands as a potential opponent in the final stages after defeating his rivals earlier in the week; Spaniard Bernabé Zapata was also part of the Rio semi-final lineup, following his own run through a challenging field that included Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo and Spain’s Albert Ramos Viñolas in previously decisive rounds.
Lajovic opened the match with an advantage, grabbing a 4-2 lead after securing a break of Alcaraz’s serve. But the Spaniard steadied himself, pushing back to 4-4 and then closing out the first set 6-4 with composed ball striking and intelligent pressure on serve. The second set remained tightly contested, with both players exchanging breaks until Lajovic carved out a 4-2 lead. Alcaraz, however, demonstrated resilience, leveling at 5-5 and forcing a decisive tiebreak, where the Spaniard dominated 7-0 to clinch the set and the match.
The Rio Open, held on the clay courts at the Brazilian Jockey Club, carries a prize pool of $2.2 million and serves as a key stop on the South American clay swing that opens in Córdoba and culminates in Santiago. The event not only tests current form on red clay but also helps shape the narrative for the ATP tour as players push toward the European clay season and the grand tournaments that follow. Alcaraz’s performance in Rio underscores his continued ascent and his ability to convert critical moments into decisive wins, bolstering his status as one of the game’s top contenders on clay this season.