Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner overcame tough matches in the Montecarlo Masters 1000 round of 16 on Thursday. The Spaniard beat Tomás Martín Etcheverry 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, while the Italian defeated Tomas Machac 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-3. They will face Alexander Bublik and Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz needed two hours and 23 minutes to beat 30th-ranked Tomás Martín Etcheverry 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 in Montecarlo. The Spaniard made 23 unforced errors and struggled with his backhand in the second set, as his coach Samuel López encouraged: “Fallar vas a fallar, pero hay que seguir intentando cosas” and “Ponte cabezón”.
Alcaraz said courtside: “Había jugado bien el primer set, sintiendo la bola de diez. Estoy contento de haber podido sacarlo adelante porque se me había complicado”. On Friday around 15.00, he faces 11th-ranked Alexander Bublik, who beat Jiri Lehecka 6-2, 7-5.
Jannik Sinner dropped a set after 37 straight wins in Masters 1000 and defeated Machac in two hours and one minute. “He sufrido, pero se trata de dar lo mejor de uno mismo y superarlo. Ha sido positivo”, the Italian said, set to play Felix Auger-Aliassime around 13.00, who advanced on Casper Ruud's retirement.
Other quarterfinals feature Alexander Zverev against 19-year-old Brazilian João Fonseca (35th), who upset Matteo Berrettini.
