Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev march into Italian Open last 16
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Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after winning against Serbia's Laslo Djere at the Italian Open.
PHOTO: AFP
ROME – Carlos Alcaraz hailed his own mental strength, as he joined reigning Italian Open champion Alexander Zverev in the last 16 in Rome after seeing off Laslo Djere 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 on May 11.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz reached the fourth round at the Foro Italico for the first time after a battle with a spirited Djere.
In the next round on May 13, the Spaniard will face Russian Karen Khachanov, who knocked out Italian wildcard entrant Francesco Passaro 6-3, 6-0.
Alcaraz was playing in his second match since suffering a thigh injury in his Barcelona Open final defeat by Holger Rune on April 20.
And he was not at his best against Djere whose three career tournament wins have all come on clay, his most recent title in March, at the Chile Open in Santiago.
The 22-year-old was broken twice in the first set, which looked like going either way until he took control in the eventual tiebreak, before sweeping Djere aside in the second.
“I just thought that I had to stay there mentally strong, waiting for my chances because I was playing great,” said Alcaraz. “I was playing great, moving, hitting the ball. It was just a few mistakes that I made.
“I was trying to come back from the injury as good as I can and then I got a cold. But once you are on the court you try not to think about those things and just keep going. Sometimes it is difficult, but it’s great having matches in straight sets to save energy for the next matches.”
Zverev, meanwhile, barely broke a sweat against Lithuanian qualifier Vilius Gaubas, easing to a 6-4, 6-0 win to set up a last-16 clash with France’s Arthur Fils.
The world No. 2 took 1hr 26min to see off Gaubas, suggesting that the burnout he said he was suffering earlier in the year might be behind him.
The German is hoping a good defence of his Rome crown will set him up to go one better than last year at the French Open and be crowned champion. He now faces a more challenging match against Fils, who convincingly defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
It was a good day for French players in the men’s tournament, with Fils’ win and world No. 83 Corentin Moutet shocking Rune 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4) to claim his first-ever win over a top-10 player and line up fifth seed Jack Draper in the next round.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev will face home hope Lorenzo Musetti after making no mistake against Alexei Popyrin, winning 6-4, 6-1.
In May 12 action, Jannik Sinner cruised into the last 16 after comfortably beating lucky loser Jesper de Jong 6-4, 6-2 in front of a delighted crowd. The world No. 1 faces Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo next.
But former women’s world No. 1 Naomi Osaka’s struggle for form at the top level continued with her 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4) defeat by Peyton Stearns. The latter will play Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Danielle Collins, in the quarter-finals.
Coco Gauff made short work of Britain’s Emma Raducanu, winning 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour to reach the last eight, where Russia’s Mirra Andreeva awaits. AFP