Carlos Alcaraz reached the 2023 Madrid Open quarterfinals after beating Alexander Zverev in last year's final rematch.
It's been the fifth meeting on the ATP Tour for the two, as Zverev managed to be the more successful player in the past, winning three of their previous four matches. But last year in the Madrid final, Alcaraz was the one who ended with the champion's trophy and he wanted to do the same also this year.
But it wasn't the final match this time around but a battle for the spot in the quarterfinals. Well, at least Zverev hoped it may be a battle but the teenager produced a crazy level once again to seal his spot among the last eight.
The Spaniard didn't wait around and started with a break on Zverev's first service game, at his absoulute favourite court in the world. He lost only two points on his serve in the first set and after adding one more break, Alcaraz won the first set 6-1.
Fans that came to the Manolo Santana Stadium were probably hoping that the German would start troubling their favourite, so they can witness a real battle that will last, but that wouldn't happen.
Alcaraz stayed perfect on his serve, losing only six more points in the second set, and his return also hasn't changed. He broke Zverev's serve two more times and kept painting the lines left and right.
After only one hour and 20 minutes, the young Spaniard won the match 6-1, 6-2 to secure his quarterfinal spot at the 2023 Madrid Open and keep the title defence on track.
Among the last eight, he will play against Karen Khachanov from Russia, after the tenth seed stunned his good friend Andrey Rublev earlier on the day.
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