Carlos Alcaraz has sparked an authentic 'Alcarazmania' at the Australian Open, where fans from all over the world are packing the stands with the hope of seeing him conquer the only Grand Slam missing from his collection. The 22-year-old Spanish tennis player advanced to the quarter-finals this Sunday by defeating American Tommy Paul 7-6(6), 6-4, 7-5, without dropping a single set in the tournament. Alcaraz resolved the duel in two hours and 37 minutes, a match that began with difficulties after losing his serve in the first game. He reacted quickly, leveled the score in the first set and won the 'tie-break' despite a fifteen-minute interruption caused by a spectator suffering from heatstroke in the stands. With temperatures milder than in previous days and the support of his team from the box, the Murcian was gaining confidence. He broke Paul's serve in the second set to close it out 6-4 and maintained his solidity in a more balanced third set, which he resolved with a break in the eleventh game. This victory is his 88th in 101 Grand Slam matches and consolidates him as one of the most precocious players of the Open Era, with 14 quarter-final appearances in a major before turning 23. While Alcaraz prepares for his next quarter-final match against Australian Alex de Minaur, Melbourne continues to vibrate to the rhythm of his tennis and the dream of seeing him make history in Australia.
