Alcaraz avenges French Open defeat against Alcaraz to reach Madrid Open quarterfinals
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the world number two, put on a masterful performance to defeat Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2 and reach the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open on Tuesday. Alcaraz, who also defeated Zverev in last season’s Madrid final, got his revenge for the German’s triumph in the 2022 French Open quarter-finals.
Zverev no match for Alcaraz’s brilliance
Despite winning the Madrid Open twice before, 26-year-old Zverev had no answer to Alcaraz’s brilliance in the opening set, and while he managed to improve his performance slightly in the second, he was unable to trouble the Spaniard, who dictated play throughout the match.
Alcaraz, the US Open champion, dropped just two points in the first set in his near-immaculate service games, and put strong pressure on Zverev’s serve. The Spaniard converted his third break point to take a 2-0 lead in the 11-minute second game, before taking another break from Zverev for a 5-1 lead. The 13th seed hit the net with a cross-court backhand, handing Alcaraz the first set.
Alcaraz maintains focus throughout the match
In the second set, the duo traded blows on serve before Alcaraz carved out a break for 3-2 when Zverev sent a forehand return wide. Alcaraz consolidated and then broke for a 5-2 lead with a neat forehand down the line. Despite wobbling in his opener against Emil Ruusuvuori, Alcaraz stayed focused throughout and sealed his progression when Zverev batted a return long.
Alcaraz, who turns 20 on Friday, is looking to win his 10th tour-level title after successfully defending the Barcelona Open in April. He will now face Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals, who dispatched Andrey Rublev 7-6 (10/8), 6-4. The quarterfinals will be an exciting matchup as Alcaraz faces off against Khachanov, a former top-10 player.
Medvedev crashes out
In other results, world number three Daniil Medvedev crashed out against Russian compatriot Aslan Karatsev, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4. The second seed has admitted he struggles on clay and fell to another defeat against Karatsev on the dirt, as he did in Rome two seasons ago.
Alcaraz’s victory over Zverev was a statement of intent and proves he is a force to be reckoned with on clay. With his impressive form, he has a good chance of winning the Madrid Open and becoming the youngest champion in the tournament’s history.
