Former tennis player Andrei Olkhovsky noted the growing odds for Aslan Karatsev as he moved closer to a potential Masters final in Madrid, highlighting the unique momentum he had built entering the quarterfinals. The analyst from Vprognoze.ru observed that a decisive shift could come if Karatsev seized his opportunities and maintained a strong mental focus when it mattered most. He suggested that Karatsev possesses the tools to challenge elite opponents, especially if he remains calm under pressure and reads the court well.
In the opening quarterfinals clash, Karatsev faced Zhang Zhizhen of China and came away with a victory that demonstrated his perseverance and tactical variety. The match stretched over a little more than an hour and a half, with Karatsev securing the set in a tense tiebreak before closing out the second set with solid baseline play and steady serve. The win marked Karatsev’s first appearance in the Masters semifinal, a milestone that underscored his improvement at the top level and his ability to translate potential into tangible results on the big stage.
The semifinal is set to feature a high-profile duel between the winner of the Struff–Tsitsipas quarterfinal and the rising Russian, with those two players hailing from Germany and Greece respectively. For Karatsev, the path to the final appears as challenging as it is rewarding, with the semifinals offering a test against two different playing styles: Struff’s aggressive, flat shots and Tsitsipas’s all–court game and strategic variety. The decisive match of the Madrid Masters is scheduled for May 7, a date that will determine whether Karatsev can extend his surprising run or whether the veterans will consolidate their advantage on the European clay. Carlos Alcaraz of Spain is the current titleholder, adding extra prestige to this event and setting a higher bar for what it takes to win here. The press and analysts continue to weigh Karatsev’s chances, considering his recent form, resilience, and how he handles pressure moments against seasoned opponents in the semifinal stage. (Source attribution: Vprognoze.ru)
Elena Vesnina, the former Russian star, offered her perspective on Karatsev’s semifinal appearance, pointing out that the Madrid Masters has become a proving ground where Karatsev is increasingly able to demonstrate his ability to close out matches at crucial junctures. Vesnina emphasized the importance of maintaining balance between aggression and patience, especially when facing a field that includes several top-ranked adversaries. Her comments reflected broader sentiment that Karatsev has evolved beyond early potential into a tennis player capable of competing with the sport’s best on a platform as demanding as the Masters in Madrid. (Source attribution: Elena Vesnina commentary, via Vprognoze.ru)”