World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semifinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters with a 6-3, 6-0 quarterfinal victory over Alexander Bublik on Friday. Bublik cited poor conditions for his game after the match, prompting a grinning response from Alcaraz. The Spaniard, the defending champion, dominated the Kazakh player in under an hour.
Carlos Alcaraz made short work of Alexander Bublik in the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters, winning 6-3, 6-0 in their first ATP Tour meeting. The world No. 1 wrapped up the match in about an hour, as Bublik struggled with 28 unforced errors. In the second set, Bublik managed just 12 points total, resulting in a bagel set for the Spaniard. Alcaraz gave Bublik few opportunities throughout the clay-court clash in Monaco. Bublik shook hands at the net and remarked, “We played in the worst conditions for me.” The world No. 11, known for thriving on faster grass surfaces, has won Halle titles in 2023 and 2025, defeating top players like Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev en route. Clay's slow, high-bouncing nature hampers his flat serves and net attacks. Despite this, Bublik had reached the quarters by beating 11th seed Jiri Lehecka and Gael Monfils earlier. Alcaraz responded with a smile, saying, “I’m looking forward to facing you on grass!” The comment highlighted his awareness of Bublik's grass-court prowess. As the defending champion, Alcaraz now has 1000 points to defend and will face either Valentin Vacherot or sixth seed Alex de Minaur in the semifinals.
