VIENNA/STARNBERG, October 29, 2021

Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz has reached the biggest semi-final of his career at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna. The 18-year-old upset World No. 7 and third seed Matteo Berrettini of Italy 6-1, 6-7(2), 7-6(5) on Friday afternoon.

Alcaraz showcased his power from the baseline, as he hit 24 winners, but also mixed his aggressive style with great touch to secure victory in two hours and 40 minutes.

✅ First ATP 500 SF
✅ Second Top 10 win

Seriously impressive, @alcarazcarlos03. #ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/b1UIC6nWxY

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 29, 2021

“This is one of my best performances on Tour so far. I am really happy for that and it was amazing. I just tried to play aggressively all the time. In the tough moments it was important to be able to do that,” said Alcaraz, who advanced to the final four at an ATP 500 tournament for the first time.

Alcaraz, who is making his debut in Vienna, will next challenge World No. 4 and second seed Alexander Zverev. The highest-ranked player left in the singles draw outlasted No. 6 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Zverev withstood 12 aces and broke his opponent’s serve two times to prevail after two hours and five minutes.

“I did make it difficult for myself once again, that needs to stop happening,” Zverev said. “One easy mistake and the second set went away. But I am proud of myself because at the beginning of the second set it could have gone his way easily.”

Zverev improved to 301-138 in his career, 50-13 in 2021 and 23-2 since losing to Auger-Aliassime in five sets in the fourth round at Wimbledon on July 5.

In the top half of the draw, US-American qualifier Frances Tiafoe defeated World No. 16 Diego Schwartzman from Argentina 6-4, 7-6(6) in one hour and 55 minutes to reach his first ATP 500 semi-final. The 23-year-old, who upset World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round, has defeated two Top-20 players at the same tournament for first time in his career.

Up next for Tiafoe will be Jannik Sinner. The seventh-seeded Italian edged out No. 4 seed Casper Ruud from Norway 7-5, 6-1 after one hour and 37 minutes in the final match of the day. With this win Sinner rises to No. 8 in the ATP Race to Turin.

🇮🇹 Sinner v. Tiafoe 🇺🇸
🇩🇪 Zverev v. Alcaraz 🇪🇸

Who wins Vienna from here? 🏆#ErsteBankOpen

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 29, 2021