'Outrageous' Carlos Alcaraz diving volley, wins Nuno Borges third round match

Lleyton Hewitt described as "just incredible" a diving Carlos Alcaraz volley that demonstrated one of the many reasons why he's one of the best players in the world as the Spanish star dispatched plucky Portuguese Nuno Borges 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2.

With a mix of athleticism and sheer will, Alcaraz scrambled after what looked to everyone else a losing cause at the end of a long and spectacular third set rally that was ultimately won by Borges.

While the rally as a whole was worthy of disbelieving praise, it was the last couple of shots that took it to another level.

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After an excellent serve that got Alcaraz stretching wide to his forehand on the return, Borges thumped his mid-court forehand into Alcaraz's backhand corner, a shot that would likely have been a winner against mere mortals. But the sliding Spaniard bunted the ball over the net, setting up a smash for Borges, who was unable to put it away after choosing to fire it deep and straight down the middle.

Carlos Alcaraz shows off his incredible athleticism. Nine

Alcaraz then fashioned a squash shot that arrowed down over the net, making Borges play a volley and the Portuguese dropped it short, forcing the world No.3 to the net. He stayed there until the end of the point, with Borges hitting a superb backhand passing shot that looked a winner until Alcaraz dived full stretch, losing his racquet out of his hand as he parried the ball back over the net.

Caught on the ground and without his racquet, Alcaraz was a sitting duck and Borges punched the ball into the open court to win a spectacular point.

"No racquet left. Outrageous point!" Nine's Brenton Speed exclaimed.

"Well, this was just incredible," added Hewitt. "I don't know how he made a couple of these other gets, but then this last volley, what a chase down here - backhand smash and then comes in, full dive. Incredible he was able to make the last volley losing his racquet."

Even had Alcaraz managed to find a winner with his diving volley it may well have been ruled illegal with replays indicating that Alcaraz actually lost grip of his tennis racquet before it made contact with the ball.

"The racquet was out of his hand when he made contact with that ball, that is incredible camera work," John Millman concluded.

While that point was the most extraordinary highlight of the match, it was by no means the only one, with Alcaraz thrilling the Rod Laver Arena crowd with the full spectrum of his skills in a third round match that he didn't have all his own way.

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In fact the diving volley came at a time when the momentum was swinging ever so slightly towards Borges, midway through the third set, and to the credit of the Portuguese he was able to seize it, winning a tiebreaker 7-3 to drag Alcaraz into a fourth set.

Having been in cruise control for much of the first three sets, that setback appeared to kick the Spaniard into gear and he immediately took control of the fourth set, breaking Borges in the second game with a twisting backhand winner after running back to the baseline, which again had the commentators in raptures.

While the world No.33 didn't drop his bundle, he was unable to find the magic required to get back on level terms, with Alcaraz keeping his level high as he bolted to the finish line, sealing his place in the fourth round.

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