Alcaraz powers on in Monte-Carlo, reaches QFs

Carlos Alcaraz picked up the pace in his quest for a maiden Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters crown on Thursday.

The 21-year-old countered a below-par serving performance with some trademark clay-court genius to move past German qualifier Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-1 at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Alcaraz was forced to save nine of 10 break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, but a dazzling ‘tweener lob in the second game paved the way for a high-quality showing.

“Honestly it was difficult, Danny is playing great,” said Alcaraz. “He’s a solid clay-court player with a difficult game: a lot of topspin shots and [he’s] really good physically. The score doesn’t show how difficult it was… I had to battle in the first set.

“It was good to get a break before the new balls, which helped with the serve. In the second set, I could be myself more, play more aggressively than in the first, and I took my chances.”

Competing in The Principality for just the second time in his career, Alcaraz this week aims to win a clay ATP Masters 1000 outside of Madrid for the first time. With his 86-minute victory over Altmaier, the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings tied Tommy Robredo for the fifth-most quarter-finals reached at that level by Spanish players.

Altmaier, seeking the biggest win of his career, unleashed a barrage of bruising groundstrokes in a bid to unsettle Alcaraz in the second game. Yet it did nothing more than inject life into the Spaniard, who roared back with an incredible ‘tweener lob to save the second of five break points in an electric, 11-minute tussle.

Clinical Carlos 👏@carlosalcaraz moves into the quarter-finals with a stellar 6-3 6-1 win over Altmaier#RolexMonteCarloMasters pic.twitter.com/vu3CUwOnYp

— Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (@ROLEXMCMASTERS) April 10, 2025

While Alcaraz landed just 61 per cent of first serves during his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Altmaier, he conjured some inspired tennis when it mattered to race across the line. Awaiting the Spaniard in the quarter-finals is Arthur Fils, who earlier upset former champion Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-3.