Google News
Carlos Alcaraz is through into the quarter-final on his ATP 500 Beijing debut. Carlos met Lorenzo Musetti in the second round and produced a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 victory in an hour and 21 minutes. Thus, world no. 2 became the first player with 60 wins in 2023, hoping for more in the rest of the tournament.
Alcaraz toppled Musetti for the second time in three encounters, defending all three break points and stealing the rival's serve four times from five opportunities. Carlos hit 15 winners and played better in the shortest, mid-range and most advanced exchanges, controlling the pace and setting the quarter-final clash against Casper Ruud.
The Italian made an impressive start, holding at love in the encounter's first game with a booming serve. The Spaniard responded with a forehand winner in game two, locking the result at 1-1 and pushing strong on the return in the next one.
Carlos Alcaraz dropped four games against Lorenzo Musetti in Beijing.
Carlos created three break chances and seized the first after a crafty drop shot, clinching his first return game and opening a 2-1 gap. The Spaniard cemented the break with a volley winner in game four and found the return rhythm again in the next one.
Carlos forced Lorenzo's mistake and forged a 4-1 advantage after a swift 21 minutes. Alcaraz extended the gap with a hold at 30, forcing Musetti to serve to stay in the set. The Italian held at love, reducing the deficit to 5-2 and creating two break chances in the next one.
Lorenzo squandered them and netted a backhand on Carlos' first set point, with the Spaniard wrapping up the opener in 39 minutes. Alcaraz stepped in and grabbed a break at the beginning of the second set with a backhand down the line return winner.
The Spaniard denied a break point in the second game with a volley winner and forced the rival's mistake for 2-0. The Italian experienced another break in the fifth game, struggling to follow the rival's pace. Alcaraz held at 30 in game six, moving a game away from the finish line.
Musetti produced a fine hold at 1-5 to reduce the deficit before world no. 2 served for the victory in game eight. Carlos sealed the deal with a service winner, emerging at the top and entering the quarter-final.