Carlos Alcaraz Cruises, Stefanos Tsitsipas Scrapes Through In Rotterdam

Carlos Alcaraz eased into the quarter-finals of the Rotterdam Open on Thursday with a comfortable straight-sets win over Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori. The top-seeded Alcaraz had far too much firepower and accuracy for Vavassori, ranked 317 in the world, running out a 6-2, 6-1 winner in just over an hour. « Today, I think I hit everything pretty well. I’m just hopeful I can keep going and be a bit better next round, » said the Spaniard after the match. Wearing a breathing aid on his nose as he recovers from illness, Alcaraz got off to a flying start, breaking in the very first game and sealing the set 6-2 as the Italian pushed a forehand wide.

The Spaniard again broke early in the second set, taking the third game with a sumptuous lob. A second break followed quickly afterwards as the Italian double-faulted.

Alcaraz wrapped up the match with another break of serve, sending a powerful forehand return to the feet of the Italian, who could only poke it wide.

« I had no ups and downs today which is good for me, something I’m working on, » said Alcaraz.

Thursday’s victory was a stark contrast to his first-round match, when he required nearly three hours to dispatch local hero Botic van de Zandschulp.

« The first match of every tournament it’s never easy to get used to the conditions, so I’m just trying to make the most of the time I spent here in the first round, » he said.

Alcaraz will face Pedro Martinez for a place in the semi-finals after his compatriot stunned Danish fifth seed Holger Rune 6-4, 6-1.

Earlier Thursday, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas saved a match point and battled from a set down to overcome local hope Tallon Griekspoor in a three-hour marathon.

The world number 12 eventually overcame spirited resistance from the Dutchman with a 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 victory in a match lasting around three hours.

« I feel like I was here for 10 hours today. I felt like me and Tallon played for ages and I feel like it was a marathon. We started yesterday and finished today, » he joked.

« I always felt that he brought the best out of me. We were both fighting pretty well out on the court. These are matches that are going to be remembered. »

Tsitsipas now faces a quarter-final clash with Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci, who shocked second seed Daniil Medvedev in a marathon three-setter on Wednesday.

Also through to the quarter-finals in the bottom half of the draw is last year’s runner-up Alex de Minaur, who defeated Czech teenager Jakub Mensik 6-4, 6-4.

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