With his back against the wall facing match points against the best player in the world, Tommy Paul pulled a rabbit out of the hat by completely changing the narrative. Not only did Paul restore parity in the match by winning the second set, he did it by handing Carlos Alcaraz a bagel in the tie breaker.
Paul forcing a deciding set on the World No.1 does not come as a surprise even though for a moment it looked likely to be a straight sets match. Win or lose, he has proven himself the real deal. A threat going into the US Open, the real American hope.
Tommy Paul makes Carlos Alcaraz nervous
Serving for life at 5-6, Tommy Paul faced three match points against a lively Carlos Alcaraz with a spring in his step. The Spaniard was relaxed and confident of wrapping the match up in two sets and moving on. But with a bit of luck and courage Paul managed to hold on and force a tie break.
Having put in monumental effort in holding his serve, a game that ran on for more than 14 minutes, Paul started the tie break on the up. But losing the game seemed to have affected Alcaraz somehow. It was Paul’s turn to relax and just play his game and the ghosts of last week seem to have gotten to his opponent.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Tommy Paul | Cincinnati
Some of WINNERS.pic.twitter.com/TbQy0IGaWd
— Alcaraz Fiend 🎾 (@AlcarazAddict) August 18, 2023
Tommy Paul hitting one of the nastiest sidespin volleys you’ll ever see and still losing the point because, well, Carlos Alcaraz pic.twitter.com/4tEUzcWn1f
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) August 17, 2023
Within minutes, Tommy Paul had won the tie break 7-0, once again to seriously derail the Wimbledon champion’s plans. And he has announced himself as the real American hope, well ahead of Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, even though the rankings might say otherwise.
An encouraging loss for Tommy Paul
While Paul ultimately ended up on the losing side, the manner of his loss against Alcaraz only reinforces and underlines Paul’s rise to the top. Looking at how he has performed and steadily consolidated the idea of him being a top talent since 2022, it would be a surprise if the American finishes the season outside of the top 10.
Although the United States of America has two players already ranked amongst the top 10 of the world, their positions have always seems a little finnicky. While both Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe definitely have the talent, perhaps even more so than Tommy Paul, their consistency and mental fortitude has left a lot to be desired. The two dropping out of the top 10 would not come as a big surprise. But Paul has an air of assuredness and composure around him that gives you the confidence of believing that he could easily crack the top 10 and stay there.
The upcoming US Open is the best possible stage for Paul to stamp his threat and become a global star. American fans should have a steady horse in the race with Tommy Paul, much more so than Fritz or Tiafoe who need to up their game soon.
