Carlos Alcaraz has progressed to the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open after beating Hamad Medjedovic.
Alcaraz is a former finalist at the Cincinnati Open, but has not always enjoyed his matches at the Masters 1000 tournament.
This was definitely evident in 2024, where Alcaraz claimed he played the worst match of his career.
Alcaraz struggled in his opener at the Cincinnati Open this year, but his subsequent match against Medjedovic was more comfortable.
Carlos Alcaraz reveals that he noticed Hamad Medjedovic was struggling
Alcaraz beat the former prodigy of Novak Djokovic, Medjedovic, in straight sets fashion, winning 6-4 6-4.
The heat in Cincinnati has been a major factor throughout the tournament, with temperatures regularly exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
Although it is unclear as to whether Medjedovic’s struggles were directly related to heat, Alcaraz revealed that he noticed his opponent was struggling and tried to take advantage of it.
“I knew he was struggling physically,” Alcaraz told Tennis Channel. “He asked for a medical time out. I saw him struggling to move. So I told myself that I had to stay there. I knew that I was going to have more chances to break his serve, to be up in the set. I tried to move him as much as I could.
“He made a few mistakes in that game. I got lucky because at 40-15 I made a return that was in. I don’t know how but I got the momentum in that game and everything went to my side. I just stayed there because I saw him struggling physically.”
Alcaraz also suggested that the heat was bothering him as well, but he told himself that his opponent would also be hampered.
The Spaniard also explained that he is more familiar with these hot conditions due to being from Murcia.
“Sometimes we are just focused on ourselves,” added Alcaraz. “We are just thinking that we are struggling a lot with the heat and the sun. We are just feeling bad and sometimes we forget about the opponent.
“The opponent is struggling as well or even much more than you. I am trying to think about the opponent as well and trying to make it a battle and really tough.
“I am from Murcia, and it’s really hot there as well in the summer so I just tell myself that you have to get used to it. You are used to it. And try not to let the sun affect my game or me, I am just trying to keep it going and make the points a bit shorter if I can or if I see the opponent is struggling a lot, just make it even longer.”
Who is Carlos Alcaraz playing next at the Cincinnati Open?
Alcaraz has now returned to the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open for the first time since reaching the final in 2023.
Standing in the way of Alcaraz reaching the quarterfinals is lucky loser Luca Nardi, who has previously beaten Djokovic on a hard court.
This will be the second time that Alcaraz has played Nardi this year, having also met at the Qatar Open back in February.
Despite winning that match, Alcaraz was tested by the Italian and did actually drop a set on the hard courts in Doha.
Alcaraz will look to beat Nardi in more emphatic fashion when they are scheduled to play their fourth round match at the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday, August 13.
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