Carlos Alcaraz wins a three-set thriller in Toronto.

No. 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz needed two tiebreakers to defeat Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) in the National Bank Open quarterfinals on Thursday in Toronto. The 20-year-old Spanish sensation took a 5-1 lead in the second-set tiebreaker before winning it and extending the match. Alcaraz forced another tiebreaker after losing a 5-2 lead in the third set and allowing Hurkacz to take the lead, which he won on his third match point..

Carlos Alcaraz wins a three-set thriller in Toronto.

Alcaraz hit 34 wins and made 19 unforced errors in the two-hour, 38-minute set. Hurkacz, the No. 15 seed, held his ground by gaining an 8-6 advantage in aces and saved seven of ten break points.

“In the tough moments, you have to believe in yourself, try to go for it,” Alcaraz said in his post-match interview. “It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose. You must believe that you will play your best in that moment and strive to be aggressive. I think I fared quite well in the two tie-breaks. That’s how I got the victory.” In the quarterfinals, Alcaraz, the 2023 Wimbledon and 2022 US Open champion, will meet No. 12 seed Tommy Paul. 6-3, 6-2, Paul defeated fellow American Marcos Giron. Giron finished 0-for-4 on break points, while Paul saved seven of eight.

Unseeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina stunned third seed Casper Ruud of Norway 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (4). Davidovich Fokina posted a lopsided 58-32 advantage in total winners. No. 2 seed Daniil Medvedev had an easier time defeating Italian No. 16 seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-4.

Medvedev will then face Alex de Minaur of Australia, who defeated No. 8 seed Taylor Fritz 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-1. Despite a 14-1 advantage in aces, Fritz was unable to break de Minaur, who saved 12 of 15 break points. “It feels great to finally break through that barrier,” de Minaur said of his maiden ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal appearance.

Gael Monfils of France defeated Aleksandar Vukic of Australia 6-4, 6-4. Mackenzie McDonald got rid of the wild card. Milos Raonic, the lone Canadian left in the men’s bracket at the Canadian Open, won 6-3, 6-3. When Andy Murray withdrew from the tournament owing to an abdominal ailment, Italian seventh seed Jannik Sinner went to the quarterfinals through walkover.