Carlos Alcaraz continued his impressive 2025 run by reaching the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open with a hard-fought three-set victory over Andrey Rublev. In doing so, the five-time Grand Slam champion also cemented his place in Spanish tennis history, joining an elite group that includes Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, and Carlos Moya.
Alcaraz faced a tough challenge against the Russian, who claimed a set, but ultimately fell 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. The World No. 2 will now wait to see whether Ben Shelton or Alexander Zverev emerges as his semifinal opponent on Saturday, August 16.
The 22-year-old Spaniard is on a hot streak, winning 15 consecutive matches at the Masters 1000 level. His latest performance allowed him to tie Carlos Moya for the third-most ATP Masters 1000 semifinals among Spanish players, with 12 appearances.
Only David Ferrer (18 semifinals) and Rafael Nadal (a record 76 semifinals) sit above him, according to the official ATP website. In the process, Alcaraz also surpassed Juan Carlos Ferrero, his current coach, who has 11 career Masters 1000 semifinal appearances.
Alcaraz is also on track for a potential semifinal showdown with Jannik Sinner, who will face Terence Atmane on Saturday. If it happens, it would mark the fourth consecutive tournament in which the two meet in a final, highlighting their ongoing rivalry.
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Alcaraz on his performance against Rublev
Despite the win, Alcaraz admitted it wasn’t one of his best performances. He committed 15 unforced errors and three double faults in the third set, but maintained focus to secure the victory.
“I maintained positive thoughts all the time, even though I lost focus a few times during the second set,” Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference. “Playing someone like Andrey, when you lose focus on two or three points, it [can] cost you the set or almost the match. I just stayed strong mentally and that’s what I’m most proud of”.
