Dimitrov eliminates Alcaraz, the top seed, in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open

In the Miami Open quarterfinals, Grigor Dimitrov defeated top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, his first victory over a top-five player in nearly five years. Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev also advanced to the semifinals by beating Fabian Marozsan. In the other semifinal, second-seeded Jannik Sinner will face No. 3 Daniil Medvedev, a rematch of last year’s final. Dimitrov expressed his focus on the next match rather than evaluating his performance against Alcaraz, who had trouble finding his game and became visibly frustrated during the match.

Despite falling behind a break at 4-2 in the second set, Alcaraz didn’t give up and managed to even the set at 4-4 by breaking Dimitrov at love. However, Dimitrov went on to win the final two games and secure the victory over Alcaraz. The young player admitted to feeling frustrated by Dimitrov’s almost perfect game and compared the experience to feeling like a 13-year-old. This win marks Dimitrov’s first victory over a top-five player since defeating Roger Federer in the 2019 U.S. Open quarterfinals.

On the women’s side of the tournament, fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina won against Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals, earning a spot in the final where she will face unseeded Danielle Collins. Rybakina, ranked fourth on the WTA Tour, expressed her surprise at reaching the final, noting that she was not expecting it due to inadequate preparation for the tournament. Despite being pushed to three sets in most matches, Rybakina has remained determined and is aiming for her third title this year.

Rybakina’s match against Azarenka lasted 2 hours and 33 minutes, with both players fighting hard to secure the win. Azarenka put up a strong fight in the third set after losing only two points on her serve in the second set. However, Rybakina managed to break Azarenka’s serve and eventually win the match in a tiebreaker. Rybakina has a successful track record against Azarenka, with a 4-0 career record, including two victories this year. Azarenka, 34, was aiming to become the tournament’s oldest winner, but fell short in the semifinals.

Overall, both the men’s and women’s semifinals at the Miami Open showcased intense matches and determined performances from the players. Dimitrov’s victory over Alcaraz marked a significant achievement, while Rybakina’s resilience and ability to push through long matches has been impressive. As the tournament progresses to the finals, fans can look forward to more exciting matchups and competitive play from the remaining competitors.