Alcaraz beats Djokovic in latest upset
After defeating his idol Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals on Friday, 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz rallied to beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-6 (5) after more than 31⁄2 hours on Saturday to reach the Madrid Open final.
“It was one of those matches to enjoy,” Alcaraz said. “Despite the tension, despite being the semifinals, being 7-6 in the third-set tiebreaker I’ve enjoyed it. Until the last point I was being able to smile.”
Alcaraz became the first player to beat Nadal and Djokovic at the same clay-court event. He converted his third match point in front of a raucous home crowd on the Caja Magica center court.
“It’s a spectacular feeling right now,” Alcaraz said. “I’m very excited to be able to play these kind of matches, to be able to beat Rafa yesterday, to be able to beat the No. 1 today.”
A win on Sunday will give Alcaraz his fourth title this season, the most of any player.
He will face defending champion Alexander Zverev, who defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
Djokovic remains without a title
this season as he continues to try to regain his best form going into his title defense at the French Open this month.
“Congrats to him. He held his nerves very well,” Djokovic said. “For somebody of his age to play so maturely and courageously is impressive. He deserved to win.”
In the women’s final, Ons Jabeur won her biggest career title by defeating Jessica Pegula 7-5, 0-6, 6-3 in three sets.
French veteran Gilles Simon is retiring at the end of the season after 20 years of playing professional tennis.
The 37-year-old Simon has 14 titles and a best ranking of sixth in 2009.
USC makes beach volleyball final
USC’s women’s beach volleyball team advanced to the NCAA championship with a 3-0 win over UCLA in Gulf Shores, Ala.
The reigning champion Trojans will go for their fifth national title Sunday in a match against the winner of UCLA and Florida State. The Bruins advanced with a 3-0 win against Georgia State.
The Seminoles eliminated Loyola Marymount 3-0.
USC’s women’s water polo team defeated California 9-7 in Ann Arbor, Mich., to advance to the NCAA championship game Sunday against Stanford, which eliminated UCLA 10-7.
Joey Logano took the pole for the Goodyear 400, edging Kyle Larson, while former NASCAR
Cup Series champions Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick will start at the rear of the field at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Sunday after both suffered damage to their cars because of tire issues . ... Justin Allgaier put JR Motorsports in victory lane for the third consecutive week in the Xfinity Series by winning at Darlington . ... Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took the Formula One pole for the inaugural Miami Grand Prix
Atlanta United defender Miles Robinson was stretchered off the field after collapsing to the artificial turf with a non-contact injury to his left leg in a 4-1 win over the Chicago Fire.
A serious injury to the 25-yearold central defender could cost him a roster spot at the World Cup. where the U.S. opens on Nov. 21.
The New York Jets signed cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner to a fully guaranteed four-year deal worth $38.7 million, the first of the team’s seven draft picks to get under contract.
Lightweight Charles Oliveira shook off two big punches from Justin Gaethje and choked him out to win by submission in the first round at UFC 274 in Phoenix.
The Philadelphia 76ers were fined $50,000 for violating league injury reporting rules in failing to disclose Joel Embiid’s participation status in an accurate and timely manner.
U.S. Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley was upset by Kenyan
home favorite Ferdinand Omanyala in the 100 meters at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi.
Omanyala’s strong start carried him home to win in 9.85 seconds, just ahead of Kerley at 9.92. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the women’s 100 in a world-leading 10.67 seconds.
Kell Brook, 36, world welterweight boxing champion from 2014 to 2017, announced his retirement.
TENNIS RESULTS
$6.7-MILLION MADRID OPEN
At Madrid
Surface: Red clay
MEN’S SINGLES (semifinals)—Carlos Alcaraz (7), Spain, d. Novak Djokovic (1), Serbia, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-6 (5); Alexander Zverev (2), Germany, d. Stefanos Tsitsipas (4), Greece, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
WOMEN’S SINGLES (final)—Ons Jabeur (8), Tunisia, d. Jessica Pegula (12), 7-5, 0-6, 6-2.
MEN’S DOUBLES (semifinals)—Wesley Koolhof, NetherlandsNeal Skupski (7), Britain, d. John Isner, and Hubert Hurkacz, Poland, 7-6 (7), 7-5; Robert Farah-Juan Sebastian Cabal (5), Colombia, d. Michael Venus, New Zealand-Jamie Murray (8), Britain, 7-6 (3), 6-3.
WOMEN’S DOUBLES (final)—Gabriela Dabrowski, Canada-Giuliana Olmos (2), Mexico, d. Demi Schuurs, Netherlands, and Desirae Krawczyk (3), 7-6 (1), 5-7, 10-7.