World number two Carlos Alcaraz fought hard to overcome rising star Ethan Quinn in a closely contested second-round match at the Barcelona Open, securing a 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) victory on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old Spaniard had to dig deep to fend off the challenge posed by Quinn, ranked 126th in the world.
After a strong opening set, where Alcaraz saved five break points and broke his opponent twice, the underdog American pushed him to the limit in the second. The pair exchanged breaks three times, with Quinn even holding a set point in the tie-break before Alcaraz prevailed.
Reflecting on the match, Alcaraz admitted, “I made some mistakes, I found it hard to maintain my level, but I am happy to have solved the problems that came in the second set.”
With the French Open looming later this month, Alcaraz is aiming to add a third title at Roland Garros to his resume after missing last year’s tournament due to injury. His form on clay looks promising, following a victory at the Monte Carlo Masters last week.
Elsewhere at the Barcelona Open, defending champion Casper Ruud cruised into the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan. The Norwegian, ranked tenth in the world, dominated the encounter, hitting 25 winners and avoiding any set points.
Last year’s runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas also advanced comfortably, dispatching Reilly Opelka 6-2, 6-2 to book his place in the next round.
