In the blistering heat of Mason, Ohio, where temperatures soared past 30°C, Carlos Alcaraz showcased his relentless drive and tactical brilliance at the 2025 Cincinnati Open. The world No. 2 and second seed battled Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic in a gripping third-round clash on August 12, emerging victorious with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph. This win marked Alcaraz’s tour-leading 50th victory of the 2025 season, a milestone that places him among the ATP’s elite, as he became the first player since Novak Djokovic (2013-16) to achieve 50-plus wins in four consecutive seasons. The Spaniard’s performance was a testament to his ability to adapt and dominate under pressure, setting the stage for a deep run at this ATP Masters 1000 event as he chases his first Cincinnati title.
Alcaraz, a five-time Grand Slam champion, entered the match with confidence but faced a formidable challenge in Medjedovic, a 22-year-old Serbian backed by Djokovic himself. The two players, both former Next Gen ATP Finals champions, met for the first time in a high-stakes encounter at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Medjedovic, ranked No. 72, had been in scintillating form, breezing past Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-2, 6-3 and No. 26 seed Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-6(3) without dropping a set. His powerful serve, with 29 aces across his first two matches, and aggressive forehand made him a dangerous opponent. “I know he’s a really powerful player,” Alcaraz said post-match. “His shots are incredibly hard to return. He has a big serve also. I know he doesn’t like to run too much from side to side, so my plan was to make him run as much as I could.”
The match began cautiously, with both players holding serve through the early games of the first set. At 3-3, Alcaraz turned up the pressure in a marathon game lasting nearly 13 minutes. Medjedovic saved three break points but faltered on the fourth, delivering a costly double fault that handed Alcaraz the breakthrough. The Spaniard capitalized, closing out the set 6-4 with precise groundstrokes and relentless court coverage. The second set saw Medjedovic fight back, briefly leveling the score at 3-3 after breaking Alcaraz’s serve. However, his aggressive tactics, including two consecutive drop shots that found the net, proved costly. Alcaraz seized the moment, breaking back for a 4-3 lead and holding firm to secure the set 6-4 in just over 90 minutes.
Despite the sweltering conditions, Alcaraz adapted better than his opponent, who required a medical timeout for neck pain at the end of the first set. The Serbian’s 85% first-serve win rate and 25 winners compared to Alcaraz’s 16 showcased his firepower, but his inconsistent movement and 19 unforced errors betrayed his relative inexperience against top-tier competition. Alcaraz, by contrast, converted three of seven break points and maintained an 87% success rate on his first serve, demonstrating why he’s a favorite to challenge for the year-end No. 1 ranking. “You have to think positive and just play your best tennis possible that day,” Alcaraz reflected, acknowledging the grind of a long season. “I’m really happy that in really difficult matches I’m able to play my best tennis even though I’m not feeling the right way.”
This victory was a significant step forward for Alcaraz after a shaky second-round win over Damir Dzumhur, where he dropped a set in a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 battle. That match, his first since losing to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final, highlighted the rust he shook off after a well-earned break in Spain. “It’s been a rollercoaster,” Alcaraz admitted after the Dzumhur match. “Many sensations good, bad, and back to good. I’m just happy to have won and have another chance to improve.” His 50th win of 2025, coupled with a 13-match winning streak in Masters 1000 events following titles in Monte-Carlo and Rome, underscores his dominance. With a 16-4 record on hard courts this year, including a title in Rotterdam, Alcaraz is building momentum for the US Open, starting August 24.
Alcaraz now advances to face Italy’s Luca Nardi in the fourth round, following Nardi’s victory over Jakub Mensik, who retired trailing 6-2, 2-1. The Spaniard’s quarter of the draw remains open, with Andrey Rublev as a potential threat after his marathon 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 7-5 win over Alexei Popyrin. As Alcaraz pursues his eighth Masters 1000 title and a 1,500-point lead over Sinner in the race to Turin, his performance in Cincinnati signals a return to form. Social media buzzed with praise, with fans calling his movement “unreal” and his milestone “a treat” for tennis lovers. With the heat, a passionate crowd, and a clear game plan, Alcaraz is proving he’s ready to turn up the heat in Ohio and beyond.
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