The second-seeded Spaniard let slip what looked like a clear victory after winning the first set of the tie-break and taking the lead in the second until he got a partial score of 7-6 and 4-1.

In the end, Paul managed to reverse the second set, even saving a match point, and won the match by 6-7, 7-6 and 6-3 eliminating the Spaniards from the sixth Masters 1000 of the season.

For the world number 4, second in the ‘race’ to the ATP Finals in Turin and still eligible for the ‘Next Generation’ of Milan, of which he is the current champion, it seemed that the most difficult moment was over, when he escaped 3-0 with an early break in the second set.

The Murcian led 4-1, but ran into the reaction of a brave Paul, who came from behind and forced a playoff in which he won 9-7 to fully reopen the game.

Was a psychological blow for Alcaraz, who had a match point at 7-6 in the tiebreaker, before dropping three points in a row.

This completely changed the inertia of the match and Paul took advantage of it to continue pressing the accelerator in the decisive set, in which, after canceling out two break points in the opening game, he achieved the ‘Pause‘ which paved the way for a quick 4-1.

Alcaraz fired with pride and saved four match points with your service to try to find a way to reopen the confrontation. He made it 3-5 and a break point at 30-40 that could change the history of the match, but Paul canceled it with a powerful service winner.

There ended the options of the Murcian, after a meeting of very high sporting level. Paul sealed his victory with a 6-3 and exchanged a heartfelt hug with his rival.

the champion of the Miami Masters 1000 Yes Madrid said goodbye to the Canadian tournament, in which he made his debut this year, after losing a battle of three hours and 19 minutes.

The Murcian will reappear next week in Cincinnatithe last Masters 1000 before the start of the US Open on September 29.

Paul, semi-finalist this year in Delray Beachreached the round of 16 in Montreal for the first time in his career and will face the Croatian Marin Cilic or the Russian Karen Khachanov, who meet this Wednesday.

On the horizon, a possible duel with the Russian Andrew Rublev in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, the morning session in Montreal brought smiles to Spaniards Roberto Bautista and Pablo Carreño, who added their second win over the tough Canadian by beating the American Jenson Brooksby (7-5, 6-1) and Dane Holger Rune (6-0, 6-3).

The man from Castellón, champion in the land of Kitzbuhel Less than two weeks ago, the surface change fits well. Before the Yankee player, Bautista had to grit his teeth in an even first set where he came back from a “breakage”. In the second act, the 11-time ATP champion swept his rival to meet the Norwegian in the round of 16. Casper Ruud.

For his part, Carreño, who beat the Italian Berrettini in his debut, raised his level to overcome a Rune who had become great at Roland-Garros but who has since won only one match. The Dane was overwhelmed by the Spaniard, plugged into Canada before an important challenge against Jannik Sinner.

Without Rafa Nadal, absent due to injury, or Serbian Novak Djokovic, absent due to his refusal to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, the first favorite to be crowned in Montreal is the Russian Daniil Medvedev, recent winner of the Los Angeles tournament. Cabos (Mexico).