Alcaraz Dominates Altmaier to Reach Monte Carlo Quarters

Second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz moved into the Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinals after beating qualifier Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday. Alcaraz saved nine of the 10 break points he faced and took five of the seven chances he had. “Honestly it was difficult, Danny is playing great,” the third-ranked Alcaraz said.

“The score doesn’t show how difficult it was.” At his first clay-court tournament this season, the Spaniard has won four straight sets for the loss of just five games since dropping the opening set to Francisco Cerundolo in their round-of-32 match. Alcaraz next plays on Friday against Arthur Fils who won by an impressive 6-2, 6-3 against 2023 champion Andrey Rublev in the round of 16.

Fils has advanced to the quarterfinals at three straight Masters following Indian Wells and Miami last month, and raised his record to 14-6 this season. Two more seeded players were upset on Thursday. Fourth-seeded Casper Ruud lost to Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 and fifth-seeded Jack Draper was beaten by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4.

British left-hander Draper had service problems with 10 double faults and landed fewer than half of his first serves. The 42nd-ranked Davidovich, who eliminated 11th-seeded American Ben Shelton in the first round, faces Popyrin in the quarterfinals. Three-time Monte Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas was playing the late match against unseeded Nuno Borges.

Popyrin and Davidovich Fokina will also be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers. Although it is a somewhat surprising matchup between two unseeded players, it is not a complete shock given that this quarter of the draw was wide open from the start. Popyrin has taken advantage with three-set wins over Ugo Humbert, Frances Tiafoe, and Casper Ruud–the latter from two match points down.

Davidovich Fokina punched his ticket to the last eight by beating Ben Shelton, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and Jack Draper. Alcaraz Second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz moved into the Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinals after beating qualifier Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday. Alcaraz saved nine of the 10 break points he faced and took five of the seven chances he had.

“Honestly it was difficult, Danny is playing great,” the third-ranked Alcaraz said. “The score doesn’t show how difficult it was.” At his first clay-court tournament this season, the Spaniard has won four straight sets for the loss of just five games since dropping the opening set to Francisco Cerundolo in their round-of-32 match.

Alcaraz next plays on Friday against Arthur Fils who won by an impressive 6-2, 6-3 against 2023 champion Andrey Rublev in the round of 16. Fils has advanced to the quarterfinals at three straight Masters following Indian Wells and Miami last month, and raised his record to 14-6 this season.

Two more seeded players were upset on Thursday. Fourth-seeded Casper Ruud lost to Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 and fifth-seeded Jack Draper was beaten by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4. British left-hander Draper had service problems with 10 double faults and landed fewer than half of his first serves.

The 42nd-ranked Davidovich, who eliminated 11th-seeded American Ben Shelton in the first round, faces Popyrin in the quarterfinals. Three-time Monte Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas was playing the late match against unseeded Nuno Borges. Popyrin and Davidovich Fokina will also be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers.

Although it is a somewhat surprising matchup between two unseeded players, it is not a complete shock given that this quarter of the draw was wide open from the start. Popyrin has taken advantage with three-set wins over Ugo HumbeMultiple advantages–albeit slight ones–go to Davidovich Fokina.

Since turning pro in 2016, the 42nd-ranked Spaniard is 109-70 on clay across all levels; in the exact same time frame, Popyrin is 78-56. Monte-Carlo specifically has to be considered ADF’s favorite clay-court event, having finished runner-up to Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2022.

Both players endured tough three-setters on Thursday, but Davidovich Fokina is definitely the fresher of the two since his first two matches were routine. He should be able to put himself within one win of a return trip to the Monte-Carlo final.rt, Frances Tiafoe, and Casper Ruud–the latter from two match points down. Davidovich Fokina punched his ticket to the last eight by beating Ben Shelton, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and Jack Draper.