Carlos Alcaraz battles past Matteo Arnaldi to reach Tokyo quarter-finals

[p]The world number three saved four set points against the Italian, ranked 37th, in an opening-set tie-break but turned the tide thanks to some trademark aggression and a bit of luck.[/p][p]He ended up clinching the set in one hour and 13 minutes, and the complexion of the match then changed completely, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arnaldi-matteo/hlVLAfZK/"]Arnaldi[/a] collapsed and left [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Alcaraz[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/alcaraz-garfia-c-UkhgIFEq/arnaldi-m-hlVLAfZK/?mid=A5DQZFCU"]seal the deal with a smash half an hour later[/a].[/p][p]The Spaniard will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shapovalov-denis/zXddgn9o/"]Denis Shapovalov[/a] for a place in the final four after the Canadian, ranked 46th, who prevailed over Chile's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tabilo-alejandro/YgVnM5vO/"]Alejandro Tabilo[/a] 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.[/p][embed guid="466d6b1b-93c2-4180-ac6d-5b811778284d" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjGAa6fpqes" social-type="youtube" /][p]"[b]Saving those set points in the first set makes me feel good. Thinking that the set's not over until the last point is important[/b]," Alcaraz said.[/p][p]In the second, "[b]I just tried to play with less speed, tried to play more rallies[/b]," the 23-year-old added.[/p][p]"[b]Playing just not too much spin, and from that trying to push him, as much as I could, and thanks to that I had a good feeling with the ball[/b].[/p][p]"[b]I made him feel a little bit uncomfortable, and I also made him think a little bit more when he needed to go for the point, to play aggressive. I think it became quite hard for him[/b]."[/p][p]Tokyo marks Alcaraz's third tournament since returning from a wrist injury that kept him out of action for several months until late August.[/p][p]He made his comeback at the US Open, losing in the quarter-finals.[/p]