Archive of posts tagged Damir Dzumhur

Carlos Alcaraz: 'I need to improve, but I will remain aggressive'

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Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz made a winning start at the Cincinnati Masters. World no. 2 battled past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in an hour and 41 minutes, recovering from a terrible second set and sealing the deal in the decider.

The Spaniard understands he needs to raise his level in the upcoming rounds. He disconnected mentally for a couple of points in the second set and struggled to make a comeback before raising his level in the final set.

Carlos is eager to embrace the aggressive approach on the fast hard court, risking errors but sticking to his plan of taking the ball early and gaining the advantage before his opponent. 

World no. 2 played against three break points and failed to save any. He grabbed 46% of the return points and provided five breaks from ten chances. Everything worked well for the former finalist in the first set. 

They hit over 80 unforced errors, and Alcaraz took charge from the baseline while trailing in service winners. Carlos took charge in the first set and generated chances in all four return games.

Alcaraz secured three straight breaks and moved 6-1 in front after 28 minutes. That feeling was gone in the second set! Damir bounced back and secured breaks in games three and five for a massive lead.

Carlos Alcaraz, Cincinnati 2025

Carlos Alcaraz, Cincinnati 2025© Stream screenshot

 

The Bosnian closed the set at 5-2 and forced a decider. Carlos recovered and provided a break in the fourth game. He held in the next one to move 4-1 in front and closer to the finish line. 

However, Alcaraz missed a game point at 4-2 and lost serve to bring his rival back to the positive side. Instead of building on that, Dzumhur hit a double fault in the eighth game and lost serve to fall 5-3 behind.

The Spaniard held in game nine and moved over the finish line.

Carlos Alcaraz, Cincinnati 2025

Carlos Alcaraz, Cincinnati 2025© Stream screenshot

 

"I would say I need to play better. I started very well and felt the ball nicely. However, if you disconnect mentally, even for a couple of points, everything becomes very complicated, and it's hard to return.

I want to feel much better in my next match. In practice, we talk about being completely focused and thinking positively all the time. If things are not going well, I have to keep doing what I'm doing because eventually I will improve and things will go in the right direction.

That's what I tried today, even after making mistakes. I know what my goals are in this tournament and how I approach each match. I have to stick to that. Those things will work out in the end.

I would like to continue playing very aggressively. The conditions are very fast, and everything becomes much better if you manage to attack first. I would like to make my opponents suffer, and I hope to feel better with every match," Carlos Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz Denies Dzumhur in Cincinnati Adventure

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By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 10, 2025
Photo credit: Cincinnati Open Facebook

A month after Jannik Sinner dethroned Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, the world No. 2 renewed his rivalry with the top-ranked Italian driving the ball deep on an Ohio golf course.

Today, Alcaraz launched his Cincinnati return teeing off in the opening set before hitting himself into deep rough.

Ultimately, Alcaraz used every club in his bag to defeat Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in his Cincinnati Open opener. 

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tennis express pro player gear

In his first match since losing to Sinner 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final, Alcaraz showed little rust in the first set, fell into a sloppy hole in the second set then broke twice in the decider to deter a tough Dzumhur.

This was Alcaraz’s first hard-court match since his surprising three-set loss to David Goffin in his Miami Open opener.

Alcaraz converted five of 10 break points vs. the 5’9” Dzumhur, but didn’t save any of the three break points he faced, littered 44 unforced errors and suffered some concentration lapses. Alcaraz netted a few drop shots, built a 4-1 lead in the final set only to double fault and muff a serve and volley to hand the break back in the seventh game. Credit a tough Dzumhur, who took a set off two-time Roland Garros champion Alcaraz in Paris this year, for fighting all the way through.

Still, despite his mis-steps, Alcaraz drilled a deep forehand return then exploited his opponent’s lone double fault of the day to break back for 5-3.

Serving for the third round, Alcaraz unleashed a 131 mph blast and closed in one hour, 41 minutes.

After the hand shake, Alcaraz trotted back on the court and erupted in a “Vamos! Vamos!” scream expressing both excitement and relief. 

The reigning Roland Garros champion scored his ATP-best 49th win of the season setting up a third-round clash with either Hamad Medjedovic or Tallon Griekspoor. 

Alcaraz grew up looking up to tennis heroes Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

In the opening set, the Spaniard paid tribute to seven-time Cincinnati champion Federer featuring the Swiss Maestro’s famed SABR attack. Alcaraz ran down a challenging drop shot to earn set point in the seventh game.

Then the explosive Alcaraz recalled SABR taking a full sprint up to a second-serve return successfully forcing the error to score his third break and seize a one-set lead after just 29 minutes of play.

Though Alcaraz was in free flow through the first set he crashed in the second.

The five-time Grand Slam champion coughed up 17 unforced errors in the second set  infusing Dzumhur with confidence and aggression.

In a sloppy fourth game, Alcaraz botched a volley, netted a forehand then ballooned a forehand drive well long gifting Dzumhur the break and a 2-1 lead. 

The 33-year-old Bosnian ran off 12 of 13 points in one stretch wrapping a pair of love holds around that break for a 3-1 lead.

Struggling to win points off his second serve, Alcaraz pushed a routine volley long as Dzumhur scored his second straight break for 4-1.

Pumping his fist to his box, the world No. 56 backed up the break for 5-1. Alcaraz made successive return errors—his 16th and 17th of the set—as Dzumhur seized the second set to force a decider.

Alcaraz breezed through a love hold for a 2-1 lead in the decider. Then the pair produced a highlight reel game. 

The speedy Alcaraz ran down a drop shot, dabbed a stretch volley then turned with his back to net sprinted back to the baseline and clubbed a tomahawk forehand pass extending the fourth game to deuce. Drilling a diagonal forehand gave Alcaraz the break and a 3-1 lead.

Dabbing a drop shot, Alcaraz extended the lead to 4-1 and seemed to be in total command.

But a defiant Dzumhur kept battling and Alcaraz betrayed his cause with some wayward shotmaking as the grew tighter again.

The Dzumhur double fault on break point gave Alcaraz a crucial 5-3 lead and he took care of business in the final game. An adventurous up and down win that sends the Spaniard into round three.

Carlos Alcaraz faces Damir Dzumhur in Cincinnati. Another thriller coming?

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Alcaraz

World no. 2 Carlos Alcaraz will chase his first Cincinnati Masters title. The Spaniard starts his campaign against Damir Dzumhur, returning to action for the first time since losing his first Major final to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon.

Carlos and Damir embraced a thriller at Roland Garros two months ago, and maybe we can see another tight duel between them in Ohio. The Spaniard and the Bosnian faced in the third round in Paris.

The favorite prevailed 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in three hours and 14 minutes en route to the last 16. Alcaraz controlled the pace in the opening two sets before losing his vibe and struggling in the remaining two.

Dzumhur took the pivotal points of the third set and forged a 3-1 advantage in the fourth, using the defending champion's shaky period. However, Carlos woke up and grabbed five of the final six games to emerge at the top and avoid a decider. 

The Spaniard admitted he did not know what to do in the third set, losing ground and struggling to overcome an inspired opponent. However, he found improvements and wrapped up a challenging duel in style. 

Alcaraz played against 12 break points and saved nine. He generated 21 chances on the return and converted seven, including ones in the pivotal moments. The Spaniard hit 52 winners and 44 unforced errors.

Damir Dzumhur & Carlos Alcaraz, Roland Garros 2025

Damir Dzumhur & Carlos Alcaraz, Roland Garros 2025© Stream screenshot

 

World no. 2 saved two break points in the first game of the duel and secured back-to-back breaks en route to 6-1 in under half an hour. Damir lost serve at 1-1 in the second set and fell behind. 

The Bosnian served to stay in the set at 3-5 and played another loose service game, propelling his rival two sets to love in front. Dzumhur raised his level in the third set.

He secured a break in the seventh game and disturbed the rival's momentum. Damir denied six break points in games eight and ten, wrapping up the set 6-4 and gaining a boost.

Carlos made his position even more challenging after losing serve at the beginning of the fourth set. He trailed 3-1 before erasing the deficit with a break in game six.

Carlos Alcaraz, Cincinnati 2025

Carlos Alcaraz, Cincinnati 2023© Stream screenshot

 

The Spaniard secured the seventh game after a deuce and moved in front. The defending champion made another push on the return at 4-3 and delivered another break to rattle off four games and extend the gap. 

Alcaraz served for the win at 5-3 and suffered a break to keep his rival in contention. However, Dzumhur experienced another break at 4-5, propelling the favorite into the last 16.