Monaco (AP) – Second-seed Carlos Alcaraz reached the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters after defeating Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday.
Alcaraz saved nine of the 10 breakout points he faced and grabbed five of the seven opportunities he had.
“Honestly, Danny has performed great,” said Alkaraz, who ranked third. “The score didn’t show how difficult it was.”
In its first clay game of the season, Espanyol won five games in four straight games, since the opening match that was thrown to Francisco Cerundolo in 32 rounds.
Alcaraz will next win 2023 champion Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-3 against Arthur Fils on Friday.
FILS has reached the quarterfinals in three consecutive Masters after India Wells and Miami last month and has improved his record to 14-6 this season.
Two other seed players were upset on Thursday.
The fourth seed Casper Ruud lost to Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 and the fifth seed Jack Draper were beaten by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-4. British left-handed Draper encountered 10 double-break service issues, and his first innings were less than half his.
Davidovich, ranked 42, eliminated 11th seed Ben Shelton in the first round to face Poplin in the quarterfinals.
Three-time Monte Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas played late against the seedless Nuno Borges.
