Khachanov upsets Rublev, Alcaraz dominates Zverev, and Karatsev reaches first Masters 1000 quarterfinal


Eight gamers are left within the Madrid Open draw, with Alcaraz, Tsitsipas, Karatsev, Khachanov, Coric, Struff, Zhang and Altmaier all progressing to the quarter-finals.

The 2 all-Russian clashes resulted within the underdog recording the win as Karen Khachanov got here via a detailed battle with Andrey Rublev earlier than Aslan Karatsev comprehensively dispatched Daniil Medvedev to make his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

Carlos Alcaraz then made gentle work of Sascha Zverev 6-1, 6-2, dropping simply 8 factors on serve whereas placing the German’s supply underneath fixed strain.

A useless internet wire at 5-5 within the third set tiebreak helped Borna Coric scrape over the road towards Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. On the identical time, Zhizhen Zhang saved match factors to take out Taylor Fritz in a third-set tiebreak.

Each Struff and Altmaier additionally progressed to benefit from their fortunate loser entries into the event, beating Cachin and Munar, respectively.

Stefanos Tsitsipas was the ultimate winner of the day, seeing off residence hopeful Bernabe Zapata Miralles for the lack of simply 4 video games.

Spherical of 16 Madrid Open 2023 Outcomes

Winner Loser Scoreline
Carlos Alcaraz (1) Alexander Zverev (13) 6-1 6-2
Aslan Karatsev (Q) Daniil Medvedev (2) 7-6(1) 6-4
Stefanos Tsitsipas (4) Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-3 6-1
Zhizhen Zhang Taylor Fritz (8) 3-6 7-6(5) 7-68
Karen Khachanov (10) Andrey Rublev (5) 7-6(8) 6-4
Borna Coric (17) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (29) 6-7(5) 6-3 7-6(5)
Jan-Lennard Struf (LL) Pedro Cachin 7-6(7) 6-7(7) 6-3
Daniel Altmaier (LL) Jaume Munar 6-3 6-0

Khachanov Crashes Rublev’s Occasion

khachanov madrid

Within the first all-Russian tie of the day, Karen Khachanov upset Andrey Rublev 7-6(8), 6-4 to make his first Madrid Open quarterfinal.

Khachanov has had a stable season up to now, and though he hasn’t been pulling up bushes, he’s eighth within the race rankings and has made the latter phases at a lot of the occasions he’s performed in.

On this match, he was the steadier of the 2, saving two units factors within the first set tiebreak from 4-6 and carrying that momentum into the second set, the place he served properly, saving the only real break level he confronted to ebook his spot within the final eight.

It’s at all times difficult to play towards one another. On one facet, we all know one another’s video games completely as a result of we’ve been coaching collectively for thus a few years. On the identical time, we all know what to anticipate, but in addition, in fact, a bit nervous about taking part in towards one another. We’re good buddies, however on the courtroom, we’re rivals. It was all a matter of conserving the serve, and if in case you have any probabilities on the return, go for it. That’s what I did. Khachanov on going through Rublev.

Highlights

Match Stats

  Karen Khachanov Andrey Rublev
Aces 5 7
Double Faults 2 3
First Serve 44/72 (61%) 42/73 (58%)
1st Serve Factors Gained 35/44 (80%) 33/42 (79%)
2nd Serve Factors Gained 18/28 (64%) 17/31 (55%)
Break Factors Saved 1/1 (100%) 3/4 (75%)
Service Video games Performed 11 11
1st Serve Return Factors Gained 9/42 (21%) 9/44 (20%)
2nd Serve Return Factors Gained 14/31 (45%) 10/28 (36%)
Break Factors Transformed 1/4 (25%) 0/1 (0%)
Return Video games Performed 11 11
Web Factors Gained 9/12 (75%) 12/16 (75%)
Winners 24 28
Unforced Errors 11 10
Service Factors Gained 53/72 (74%) 50/73 (68%)
Return Factors Gained 23/73 (32%) 19/72 (26%)
Complete Factors Gained 76/145 (52%) 69/145 (48%)

Karatsev Crushes Medvedev

karatsev

Two years in the past, Aslan Karatsev was somebody you wouldn’t wish to see in your part of the draw however along with his kind taking a nosedive, he’s fallen out of the highest 100 and till this week hadn’t crushed anybody within the prime 20 since Indian Wells in 2021.

So naturally, he was the underdog towards considered one of this season’s in-form gamers, however the former Dubai Champion has discovered his kind, coming via qualifying, and he’s now within the quarterfinals because of a 7-6(1) 6-4 win over Daniil Medvedev.

The Russian struck the ball superbly all through, and whereas it’s often his backhand doing the harm, he fired 18 of his 27 winners on the forehand facet. 

Medvedev had no actual solutions as he was regularly dragged exterior the tramlines and resorted to lamenting that the courtroom was too small for him and that he ought to be on Manolo Santana, given he was the 2nd seed—a petulant retort from Daniil, who was being outplayed.

I’m feeling nice, taking part in properly. I have to concentrate on each match to arrange for the following one… [Against top players] you focus extra, must be 100 per cent, and focus extra as a result of they don’t offer you any free factors. You have to be constant and mentally robust, so I believe I’m doing properly. Karatsev on his spectacular run in Madrid.

Match Stats

  Aslan Karatsev Daniil Medvedev
Aces 2 4
Double Faults 0 0
First Serve 43/64 (67%) 43/61 (70%)
1st Serve Factors Gained 34/43 (79%) 29/43 (67%)
2nd Serve Factors Gained 14/21 (67%) 11/18 (61%)
Break Factors Saved 3/4 (75%) 0/2 (0%)
Service Video games Performed 11 11
1st Serve Return Factors Gained 14/43 (33%) 9/43 (21%)
2nd Serve Return Factors Gained 7/18 (39%) 7/21 (33%)
Break Factors Transformed 2/2 (100%) 1/4 (25%)
Return Video games Performed 11 11
Web Factors Gained 11/16 (69%) 3/7 (43%)
Winners 28 12
Unforced Errors 4 4
Service Factors Gained 48/64 (75%) 40/61 (66%)
Return Factors Gained 21/61 (34%) 16/64 (25%)
Complete Factors Gained 69/125 (55%) 56/125 (45%)

Highlights

Alcaraz Makes Brief Work of Zverev

alcaraz madrid

Carlos Alcaraz produced yet one more high quality efficiency on residence soil as he dispatched Sascha Zverev 6-1 6-2, breaking the person he beat in final yr’s last 4 instances.

It was extremely one-sided, and Zverev had no solutions to the extent Alcaraz produced, with the Spaniard not going through a single break level and profitable 50% of his return factors.

For me, it’s wonderful to play on the stage that I performed in the present day. It’s been a query mark for me… I performed properly, really feel actually good proper now, and this match provides me confidence. In the beginning [I felt nerves], however it’s a must to deal with [them]. The most effective gamers on the earth deal with the nerves actually [well], and I wish to be like them. Attempting to not present the opponent that I’m nervous in any respect. I wish to take pleasure in taking part in within the Caja Magica in entrance of my residence crowd. It’s been wonderful for me to play right here, so I take pleasure in each second. Alcaraz on his win over Zverev

Highlights

Match Stats

  Carlos Alcaraz Alexander Zverev
Aces 5 3
Double Faults 1 4
First Serve 24/41 (59%) 40/60 (67%)
1st Serve Factors Gained 21/24 (88%) 22/40 (55%)
2nd Serve Factors Gained 12/17 (71%) 8/20 (40%)
Break Factors Saved 0/0 (0%) 6/10 (60%)
Service Video games Performed 8 7
1st Serve Return Factors Gained 18/40 (45%) 3/24 (13%)
2nd Serve Return Factors Gained 12/20 (60%) 5/17 (29%)
Break Factors Transformed 4/10 (40%) 0/0 (0%)
Return Video games Performed 7 8
Web Factors Gained 6/7 (86%) 3/8 (38%)
Winners 14 8
Unforced Errors 4 8
Service Factors Gained 33/41 (80%) 30/60 (50%)
Return Factors Gained 30/60 (50%) 8/41 (20%)
Complete Factors Gained 63/101 (62%) 38/101 (38%)

Zhang Sees Off Fritz

zhang madrid

Like Khachanov and Karatsev earlier than him, Zhizhen Zhang was one other outsider who defied the chances by defeating Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(8).

Zhang, the primary Chinese language participant to crack the highest 100, regrouped after serving for the match at 5-4 within the third and saved three match factors en path to reserving his maiden Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

For all Zhang’s plaudits, Fritz will rue the wealth of alternatives that got here his means, with the American main by a set and a break and the forehand he sprayed lengthy at 8-7 within the breaker was a poor miss.

Verify the match stats beneath, and it’s onerous to imagine that Fritz wasn’t the victor. The tennis scoring system strikes once more!

Highlights

Match Stats

  Taylor Fritz Zhizhen Zhang
Aces 11 7
Double Faults 2 3
First Serve 62/104 (60%) 60/107 (56%)
1st Serve Factors Gained 48/62 (77%) 42/60 (70%)
2nd Serve Factors Gained 27/42 (64%) 28/47 (60%)
Break Factors Saved 2/4 (50%) 5/8 (63%)
Service Video games Performed 17 16
1st Serve Return Factors Gained 18/60 (30%) 14/62 (23%)
2nd Serve Return Factors Gained 19/47 (40%) 15/42 (36%)
Break Factors Transformed 3/8 (38%) 2/4 (50%)
Return Video games Performed 16 17
Web Factors Gained 8/9 (89%) 16/23 (70%)
Winners 36 35
Unforced Errors 9 11
Service Factors Gained 75/104 (72%) 70/107 (65%)
Return Factors Gained 37/107 (35%) 29/104 (28%)
Complete Factors Gained 112/211 (53%) 99/211 (47%)

Different Spherical of 16 Matches

madrid round of 32
  • Altmaier Annihilates Munar: Daniel Altamaier made the Madrid Open draw by way of fortunate loser standing, and he’s made essentially the most of it, making his first Masters Quarterfinal with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Jaume Munar.
  • Coric Knocks Off Fokina: A 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(5) win for the Croat and a really shut match that was primarily determined by a useless internet wire at 5-5 within the third set tie breaker that Fokina had zero play on Ouch!
  • Struff Sinks Cachin: Again-to-back Masters 1000 quarterfinals for the German who’s into the final eight as a fortunate loser.
  • Tsitsipas Takes Down Zapata Miralles: A routine win for the Greek who noticed off the house hopeful 6-3 6-1 in 1 hour and 13 minutes.

Madrid Open 2023 Quarter Closing Matches

  • Carlos Alcaraz (1) vs Karen Khachanov (10)
  • Daniel Altmaier (LL) vs Borna Coric (17)
  • Jan-Lennard Struff (LL) vs Stefanos Tsitsipas (4)
  • Zhizhen Zhang vs Aslan Karatsev (Q)

Who’re your picks to come back via the quarterfinals? Let me know within the feedback.