World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz swatted apart Grigor Dimitrov in straight units on Thursday, as Novak Djokovic continued his Paris Masters title protection by additionally reaching the quarterfinals.
Spanish teenager Alcaraz, hoping to win a 3rd Masters title of the yr after earlier successes in Miami and Madrid, noticed off former world No. 3 Dimitrov 6-1, 6-3 in 72 minutes.
Alcaraz will probably be confirmed because the year-end world primary earlier than the ATP Finals in Turin later this month if he lifts the trophy this weekend within the French capital.
“It was not his day, he didn’t play at his best, but I played my game,” stated the 19-year-old U.S. Open champion.
Alcaraz will tackle Holger Rune for a last-four place after the Dane knocked out seventh seed Andrey Rublev with a 6-4, 7-5 win.
The prime seed acquired off to a fast begin at Bercy Arena, taking 9 of the primary 10 video games to grab complete management of the match.
Dimitrov managed to interrupt again within the second set, however Alcaraz broke once more within the eighth sport and comfortably wrapped up victory.
He hit 16 winners and made solely six unforced errors in a dominant show, whereas Dimitrov noticed 24 unforced errors fly off his racquet.
Djokovic, in search of a record-extending seventh Bercy title this week, thrashed Russian Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-1.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion, already the winner of a document 38 Masters crowns, will play Lorenzo Musetti for a semifinal berth.
Djokovic stretched his successful run in particular person tournaments to 18 matches, courting again to his French Open quarterfinal loss to Rafael Nadal in May.
The Wimbledon champion has now received 10 of his 11 conferences with Khachanov – the one defeat coming within the 2018 Paris Masters ultimate.
He edged a good opening set however powered to victory within the second, reeling off 5 straight video games.
Musetti knocks out Ruud
“Khachanov is someone I know really well,” stated Djokovic. “We train a lot, and we played almost 10 times against each other on different surfaces. He beat me four years ago in the final, so I know he likes this surface, he likes these conditions.”
Italian teen Musetti downed third seed Casper Ruud in three units to succeed in his maiden Masters quarterfinal the place he’ll come up in opposition to Djokovic.
The 20-year-old, at a career-high rating of twenty third, got here from behind to beat the Norwegian Ruud 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
“He was playing really well and I had to play my best tennis to beat him,” stated Musetti.
“I am really happy that all the hard work I am doing keeps improving me. I am really proud of this win.”
Ruud has struggled since shedding the US Open ultimate to Alcaraz – having additionally been the French Open runner-up earlier this yr – successful simply two of his final six matches.
Felix Auger-Aliassime prolonged his successful streak to fifteen matches because the Canadian ended Gilles Simon’s profession with a 6-1, 6-3 success.
The eighth seed remains to be on observe for a fourth successive title and can subsequent play Frances Tiafoe after the American’s 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) win over Alex de Minaur.
Auger-Aliassime and Rublev each certified for the ATP Finals on Wednesday to finish the eight-man subject.
Former world No. 6 Simon had stated he would retire after the event and the 37-year-old Frenchman bowed out of the game after shock wins over Andy Murray and Taylor Fritz earlier this week.
Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas noticed off one other house hope Corentin Moutet 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) to arrange a gathering with Tommy Paul after the American who beat Rafael Nadal 24 hours earlier continued his run with a 6-4, 6-4 success over Pablo Carreno Busta.
