Alcaraz shrugs off hurdles

Carlos Alcaraz celebrates his win over Ugo Humbert yesterday. Pics/AFP

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz survived a worrying mid-match slump to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Sunday, while injured American Madison Keys quit her last-16 clash in floods of tears after being one game from victory.

World No. 3 Alcaraz defeated French 16th seed Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 to make the last-eight of a Grand Slam for the ninth time in just 14 appearances. However, it was another uncomfortable afternoon for Alcaraz, who had needed five sets to see off Frances Tiafoe in the third round.

His erratic performance on Sunday saw him drop serve five times and commit an uncharacteristic 33 unforced errors.

Ugo Humbert tackles Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon yesterday

The 21-year-old, bidding to become just the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back, eased through the first set under the Centre Court roof before crucially saving four break points in the fifth game of the second.

Humbert stormed back, breaking the champion three times in the third set as Alcaraz went spectacularly off the boil. Alcaraz was twice unable to hold onto breaks in the fourth set and had to fend off three break points in the eighth game to stay level at 4-4.

Left-hander Humbert then lost his bearings to hand over a service break in the 11th game and Alcaraz took full advantage to quickly seal the tie.

"I will be there, fighting until the last ball," said Alcaraz, who is chasing a fourth Grand Slam title. Alcaraz will take on either American 12th seed Tommy Paul or 36-year-old compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut, a semi-finalist in 2019.

Over on Court One, US 12th seed Madison Keys was just one game away from a third quarter-final at Wimbledon when she was forced to quit against Italy's Jasmine Paolini.

After dropping the first set to the seventh seeded Italian, Keys hit back to level the match at 3-6, 7-6 (8-6). The 2017 US Open runner-up then raced into a 5-2 lead in the decider when she suffered a left leg injury in the eighth game.

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