Carlos Alcaraz cruised past Alexander Zverev 6-1 6-2 on Manolo Santana Stadium in 1 hour and 22 minutes in a repeat of the 2022 final to reach the quarter finals at the Madrid Mutua Open for the second consecutive year and continues his title defence.
Alcaraz dropped just eight points on his first serve and never faced a break point. The Spaniard converted four of his ten break points and hit 21 winners to 12 unforced errors.
Alcaraz is chasing his fourth title of the season and the third on clay after claiming trophies in Buenos Aires and Barcelona.
Alcaraz converted his third break point in a 11-minute second game, when Zverev sent his forehand wide. The Spanish teenager held serve in the third game with a service winner before Zverev held serve at love to reduce the gap to 1-3. Zverev went up a 40-0 on serve at 1-4 down, but Alcaraz fought back into the game to earn a double break with an unreturnable backhand. Alcaraz served out for the first set with a hold at 15 after 33 minutes. Zverev made 12 unforced errors to Alcaraz’s two.
Zverev saved a break point in the third game of the second set and held for 2-1. Alcaraz held serve with an ace to draw level to 2-2 before breaking serve in the next game to take a 3-2 lead after a loose forehand from Zverev.
Alcaraz made the point of the match when he hit a backhand passing shot in the sixth game. The 2022 US Open champion earned three break points in the seventh game and converted his third chance with a forehand winner to build up a 5-2 lead.
Alcaraz served out for the win and in the eighth game and earned two match points with a forehand crosscourt winner. He wasted them but he earned his third chance with an ace.
Alcaraz sealed the win with a service winner to secure his spot in the quarter final.
Alcaraz improved his ATP head-to-head record against Zverev to 2-3. He set up a quarter final match against Karen Khachanov, who beat Andrey Rublev 7-6 (10-8) 6-4.
“For me it’s amazing to play at the level I played today. It’s been a question mark for me. This result is not normal for me. I played great. I feel really good right now and this match is giving me a lot of confidence. I felt it a bit nervous at the beginning but you have to handle the nerves. The best players adapt really well. I want to be really like them, trying not to show the opponent that I am nervous at all. I just want to enjoy playing here in the Caja Magica in front of my home crowd. It’s been amazing for me to play here. I just enjoy every moment of it”.
