Top seed Carlos Alcaraz shrugged off damp, cold conditions to sweep into the semi-finals of the Argentina Open with a straight sets victory over Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic on Friday. 

The Spanish World No. 2, who is making his return to tennis at this week’s event in Buenos Aires after a four-month injury layoff, eased into the last four with a 6-4, 6-2 victory in 1hr 33min. Friday’s quarter-finals took place in chilly conditions after a week of wild weather swings in Buenos Aires which saw temperatures go from 38.1 C (100.6 degrees Fahrenheit) last Sunday to 7.9C (46.2F) on Thursday. Alcaraz, who had looked rusty in his opening match of the tournament on Wednesday, made a solid start to take a 3-0 lead before surrendering the initiative to allow Lajovic to level at 4-4.