Carlos Alcaraz into US Open quarter-finals after defeating 2014 champion Marin Cilic

• Carlos Alcaraz beats Marin Cilic to reach US Open quarter-finals in New York.
• Spaniard will play Jannik Sinner of Italy in the semi-finals.
• The 19-year-old is seeded third and considered the title favourite for the tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the US Open quarter-finals for the second year in a row after defeating 2014 champion Marin Cilic in an exciting last-16 tie that ended at 02:23 a.m. on Tuesday in New York.

Cilic was under siege for three hours and 54 minutes, needing to save 12 of 18 break points while committing 66 unforced errors before Alcaraz won 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

After the elimination of four-time winner Rafael Nadal, the 19-year-old Alcaraz, seeded third and considered the title favourite, will meet Jannik Sinner of Italy in the semi-finals.

Sinner leads Alcaraz 2-1, with both victories coming this year at Wimbledon and Umag.

“I believed in myself, it was pretty tough,” said Alcaraz.

“I was a break down in the fifth set. It was tough to come back after losing the fourth set.”

Alcaraz overcame a 0-2 disadvantage in the first set to win it, and he was a break ahead early in the second when Cilic, 33, surged back to tie the match.

Alcaraz pounced in the 10th game of the third set to take the sole break and a two-set lead.

The Spaniard had Cilic on the ropes twice late in the fourth set, but he let four break points slip away.

Cilic seized a surprising lifeline to force a fifth set decider.

After squandering six break points in the fourth set, Alcaraz finally converted for a crucial 3-1 lead.

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