Madrid Open: Alcaraz beats Struff to enter quarter finals

Carlos Alcaraz was pushed to the limit on Tuesday at the Mutua Madrid Open, but found the answers when needed to overcome a resiliant Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(4) in a repeat of last year’s final.

The two-time defending champion is aiming to become the first player in history to win three straight titles at the ATP Masters 1000 event. After not dropping a set in his first two matches, Alcaraz was tested by the big-serving German on Manolo Santana Stadium in a fourth-round thriller.

The 20-year-old produced his best set of the tournament to clinch the opener, demonstrating great feel to pull Struff forward. However, the 34-year-old Struff bounced back from a break down in the second set to level. Alcaraz then recovered from squandering four match points on serve at 5-3 in the third set to eventually advance on his fifth match point after two hours and 50 minutes.

“Honestly this match reminds me of last year’s match,” Alcaraz said. “It was pretty difficult from the first point until the last one. It was a great fight and it was difficult. It was difficult for me to deal with my emotions, to handle certain moments, difficult moments in the match. Serving for the match, it was really difficult for me after that 40/0 up, but really happy that at the end it didn’t affect me with my game, with my mentality. I kept fighting. That’s all that matters and I’m really happy to get the win at the end.”

Alcaraz holds a 15-1 tournament record and will continue the quest for his 14th tour-level crown and sixth at ATP Masters 1000 level when he meets seventh seed Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals.