Alcaraz and Sinner lose a set but advance to the quarterfinals in Monte Carlo
Reigning champion of the first main clay courtroom match of the season, the Spanish tennis participant dispatched his rival 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
Alcaraz began completely, inflicting a clean sport, in which he made the Argentine (thirtieth in the world) lose serve, earlier than sealing the first set in 26 minutes.
But what appeared prefer it was going to be a mattress of roses for the Murcian received difficult in the second set, when Etcheverry broke his rival’s serve twice to go up 4-1.
Alcaraz didn’t quit and responded with one other break, but it was not sufficient to forestall the Argentine from equalizing at one set.
The Spanish star with seven Grands underneath his belt regained consistency in the third, though he had to save a break level at 4-2.
He lastly closed the duel on his third match level after 2 hours and 23 minutes of battle.
“I had played very well in the first set, I was feeling the ball 10/10. Then, I also started the second set well, I even had the opportunity to break his serve in the second game. I didn’t do it. When you don’t take advantage of opportunities at this level, you take a step back,” Alcaraz analyzed.
“I would say it was a good battle in the end,” he added.
“A good final battle”
The Spaniard will face in the quarterfinals the Kazakh Alexander Bublik (eleventh), who defeated the Czech Jirí Lehecka (thirteenth).
Hours earlier, the world quantity two, Jannik Sinner, additionally had to play a third set in opposition to the Czech Tomas Machac (53rd), whom he ended up defeating 6-1, 6-7 (3/7) and 6-3.
Double semi-finalist in 2023 and 2024 and absent from the 2025 version due to a doping suspension, Sinner will face Felix Auger-Aliassime (seventh) in the quarterfinals.
The Canadian benefited from the abandonment of the Norwegian Casper Ruud (twelfth), who threw in the towel when his rival led 7-5 and 2-2, to qualify for the quarterfinals in the Principality for the first time in his profession.
Against Machac, Sinner completed the first set in 26 minutes, in which he solely dedicated eight unforced errors to his rival’s 18.
The Czech lastly entered the match in the second set. Thanks to extra aggressive blows, which on a number of events stunned Sinner together with his pace, he managed to break the world quantity two’s serve to go 2-2 and then 4-2 and go 5-2 up.
Machac almost took the set at 5-4, 40-40 on serve, but Sinner took the initiative once more and received the subsequent two factors to tie.
Fonseca challenges Zverev
The Czech had 4 set factors at 6-2 in the tie-break. This time he didn’t miss the alternative and put an finish to the Italian’s streak of twelve victories in two rounds.
Sinner shortly restored order in the deciding set and superior after some struggling on a sunny afternoon.
On the different hand, the Brazilian João Fonseca (fortieth ATP), 19 years previous, reached the quarterfinals of a Masters 1000 match for the first time by profitable a resounding 6-3, 6-2 over the Italian Matteo Berrettini.
The Brazilian’s opponent in the quarterfinals can be the world quantity three, Alexander Zverev, who removed Zizou Bergs 6-2, 7-5.
Fonseca, who’s making his debut in Monte Carlo, displayed sensational tennis to overcome an opponent who had destroyed Daniil Medvedev 6-0, 6-0 in the second spherical.
“I want more. I am very confident and focused. I am very happy with the way I fought today,” mentioned the Carioca.
© 2026 AFP
