Carlos Alcaraz Clinches Thrilling Five-Set Victory Over Novak Djokovic – Full Match Highlights, Stats & Fan Reactions

Carlos Alcaraz sprinted into the Western & Southern Open quarter-finals on Wednesday night, dismantling Italian rising star Luca Nardi 6-1, 6-4 to notch his 50th match victory of the 2025 season—more than any other male player on tour this year. The 22-year-old Spaniard, already world No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, has now strung together 14 consecutive wins at ATP Masters 1000 level, a streak that has propelled him onto a rarefied list previously reached only by compatriot Rafael Nadal before turning 23. Alcaraz also remains a perfect 10-0 against opponents younger than himself, underlining the generational gap he has opened since capturing his maiden Grand Slam crown at the 2022 US Open. CINCINNATI FORM PEAKING BEFORE FLUSHING MEADOWS • Best hard-court start of career: 18-1 since the Miami final • Break-point conversion above 45 % during Cincinnati run • First-serve points won: 80 % through three rounds “I felt my timing was perfect today,” Alcaraz told reporters after needing just 71 minutes to advance. “When my forehand is firing like that, I can dictate every rally.” The two-time Wimbledon champion punished Nardi’s second serve, winning 10 of 13 such points, and finished with 25 winners to only eight unforced errors. MILESTONE WATCH • 50 wins: Fastest to the mark since Novak Djokovic in 2015 • 13th consecutive Masters event with at least one victory • Closing in on 250 career tour-level wins (currently 243) Should he lift the Cincinnati trophy on Sunday, Alcaraz would become the youngest man to claim eight Masters 1000 titles and the first since Roger Federer in 2007 to sweep both Canada and Cincinnati in the same summer. The performance has bookmakers installing him as the clear favorite to defend his US Open crown later this month, ahead of chief rival Jannik Sinner and veteran Novak Djokovic. UP NEXT Alcaraz faces big-serving American Ben Shelton in Friday’s night session. He leads the head-to-head 2-0, including last year’s straight-sets semifinal win in New York, but expects “a very different challenge” against the left-hander in front of a partisan crowd. KEYWORDS: Carlos Alcaraz latest news, Cincinnati Open 2025, 50th win, ATP Masters 1000 streak, Rafael Nadal comparison, US Open favorite, Ben Shelton matchup, tennis results today.