This week, ATPTour.com begins its annual season-in-review series, looking back at 2022’s best matches, biggest upsets, most dramatic comebacks and more. We start by looking back at the best matches on the ATP Tour this season (excluding the Grand Slams), featuring World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. On Tuesday we will focus on the best Grand Slam matches of the year.
5) Miami Open presented by Itau, QF, Alcaraz d. Kecmanovic 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(5)
In a standout season, Carlos Alcaraz frequently lit up the ATP Tour with his all-court, expansive game. One of his best performances of the year came en route to his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown in Miami, where he clawed past Miomir Kecmanovic in a thrilling quarter-final clash.
The 19-year-old Alcaraz was two points from defeat at 4-5, 15/30 in the third set and again at 3/5 in the third-set tie-break, where he twice trailed by a mini-break. But he was brave and bold at the crucial moments, combining explosive power with the effective use of the drop shot. Alcaraz’s imprint on the match was highlighted by his 52/40 winners-to-unforced-errors count as he looked for every opportunity to attack. Kecmanovic, who did his best to keep his opponent on the back foot, registered a 19/16 mark.
“I’m trying to hit the ball hard to push the opponent off the baseline,” Alcaraz said of his tactics. “The drop shot is good for me. I have confidence with that shot. In the tough moments, you have to hit the best shots that you have.”
The Spaniard’s aggressive strategy paid off in the third-set tie-break as he won the final four points of the match, sealing the deal spectacularly with a pushed passing shot on the dead run.
Kecmanovic arrived in Miami off the back of a quarter-final run in Indian Wells. Despite his defeat, Kecmanovic demonstrated his high confidence levels against Alcaraz, firing the ball off both wings to push the Spaniard all the way.
4) Rolex Paris Masters, SF, Djokovic d. Tsitsipas a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(4)
Novak Djokovic entered his semi-final against Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Rolex Paris Masters having won his past 12 matches, lifting trophies in Tel Aviv and Astana in October. With a spot in the final on the line, the Serbian made it 13 straight wins, but only just.
Aiming to keep alive his hopes of capturing a record-extending 39th ATP Masters crown, Djokovic produced a high-quality performance to improve to 9-2 in his ATP Head2Head series against Tsitsipas at the…
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