Carlos Alcaraz’s path to the spherical of 16 on the Madrid Open was comparatively smoother because the rising tennis star secured a straight-set triumph in opposition to Grigor Dimitrov Sunday.
After struggling in a three-set win in his opener in opposition to unseeded Emil Ruusuvuori, Alcaraz improved to get previous the Twenty sixth-seeded Dimitrov 6-2, 7-5 and keep on monitor to defend his title on house soil.
Alcaraz was nonetheless not at his greatest however sealed the victory by changing 4 of his six break alternatives in opposition to Dimitrov. The second-ranked Spaniard was damaged solely as soon as within the second set. He completed with 16 winners and 4 unforced errors.
“We didn’t do some things well in that first match, and it was clear that we had to get back to doing what we know, which is to go on the attack,” Alcaraz mentioned.
It was the seventeenth straight win for the 19-year-old Alcaraz on house soil. He gained the Barcelona Open for a second consecutive yr earlier this month.
He subsequent faces Thirteenth-seeded Alexander Zverev in a rematch of final yr’s ultimate within the Spanish capital.
“I have great memories from last year in the final, but obviously, I have to be really focused in that match,” Alcaraz mentioned. “I know that Sascha is an outstanding player, an aggressive one with good serves. I have to show all my skills.”
Iga Swiatek continued to cruise within the girls’s draw, reaching the spherical of 16 with a cushty 6-3, 6-2 win over Bernarda Pera.
The world No. 1 conceded just one break level and transformed 4 of the 13 she earned in opposition to the Thirty second-ranked American.
Swiatek had overwhelmed Julia Grabher by the identical rating in her opening match in Madrid. The Polish participant has gained six straight video games in her clay-court season whereas dropping just one set.
“I wouldn’t say it was easy,” Swiatek mentioned. “Every match is tricky here. But I’m happy that I’m getting my rhythm. Playing against a lefty is never easy … but I’m pretty happy I was disciplined and focused.”
Swiatek has misplaced solely 5 video games in her first two matches this week, dropping serve solely as soon as in every spherical.
This is her second look in Madrid, having missed the event final season due to a proper shoulder ailment. She misplaced to then-No. 1 Ashleigh Barty within the earlier 16 in 2021.
Swiatek will subsequent play Sixteenth-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova, who got here from behind to defeat Twenty second-seeded Zheng Qinwen 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
Third-seeded Jessica Pegula needed to work more durable on her option to a 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over Marie Bouzkova. The American saved 12 of the 14 break alternatives she conceded in opposition to her Thirty first-ranked opponent.
“It was definitely a long, physical game,” Pegula mentioned. “It’s always hard to play Marie. We always have tough, long matches. I knew it was going to be very difficult.”
Two-time Madrid Open champion Zverev cruised previous qualifier Hugo Grenier 6-1, 6-0 in lower than an hour.
“Today, I felt great,” Zverev mentioned. “Maybe Hugo was a bit nervous, the first time in the third round at a Masters, which is big for any player. But, in general, I am happy that I kept my composure and that I am through.”
Zverev, who had 26 winners and broke Grenier’s serve six instances, gained his Madrid titles in 2018 and ’21. He is 21-3 within the event, having reached the quarterfinals in all 5 earlier appearances.
Fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev improved to 10-1 on clay this season with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Yoshihito Nishioka. Rublev, who reached the quarterfinals in Madrid final yr, gained the Monte Carlo Masters two weeks in the past.
He subsequent faces Karen Khachanov, the Tenth-seeded participant who defeated home-crowd favourite Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 by successful the ultimate three video games in a match that lasted virtually three hours.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
