Carlos Alcaraz alleviated concerns about his injury by outperforming Jan Lennard Struff in the fourth round of the 2024 Madrid Open.
This rematch from last year’s tournament proved intriguing, with Alcaraz securing victory in a captivating three-set encounter. While Struff exhibited stronger form in their previous meeting, his performance this year raised doubts about the 20-year-old’s potential challenges.
Alcaraz, who had been nursing an arm injury, showcased promising signs of recovery, particularly evident when he delivered a powerful shot past Struff early in the match. Despite initial uncertainties surrounding his injury, Alcaraz displayed resilience and confidence throughout the encounter.
The match progressed with both players holding their serves, although Struff managed to break back in the second set, leading to a tie-break. Despite a valiant effort from Struff, Alcaraz ultimately prevailed, securing a hard-fought victory in the deciding set.
Although Alcaraz encountered difficulties in maintaining his lead, particularly when serving for the set, he demonstrated composure and determination to secure victory in the tie-break. With a scoreline of 6-3, 6-7(5), and 7-6(4), Alcaraz advanced to the quarterfinals, setting up a showdown with Andrey Rublev.
