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World no. 92 Daniel Altmaier entered the Madrid Masters draw as a lucky loser and scored four wins to enter the quarter-final. The German failed to pass another obstacle, as Borna Coric beat him 6-3, 6-3 in an hour and 14 minutes.
Thus, the Croat is through to his fourth Masters 1000 semi-final and the first on clay. Borna will face the most formidable obstacle on Friday, with the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz standing between him and a place in the final.
Coric and Altmaier met for the first time, and the better-ranked player had the upper hand on serve and return. Borna lost nine points behind the initial shot for one of his finest Masters 1000 displays, facing no break points and keeping the pressure on the other side.
Daniel failed to match those numbers, allowing Borna to convert 40% of the return points into three breaks from five opportunities. The Croat tamed his strokes nicely and hit 15 winners and unforced errors. The German stayed on eight direct points and sprayed 21 mistakes, missing equally from both wings.
Borna Coric ousted Daniel Altmaier in straight sets in Caja Magica.
Coric had a massive advantage in the shortest range up to four strokes and forged his victory in that segment. World no. 20 produced five comfortable holds in the opener and kept the pressure on the other side.
Altmaier hit a double fault in the fourth game to lose serve and fall 3-1 behind. Borna held at love in the next one to confirm the advantage and closed the seventh game with a forehand winner for 5-2 after 29 minutes. Daniel served well after that loose service game and landed a volley winner at the net in the eighth game to reduce the deficit to 5-3 and prolong the action.
Coric served for the opener in game nine and fired a smash winner for 6-3 after 36 minutes and a boost. The Croat kept the same pace in set number two, producing one good hold after another and breaking the rival's resistance with two return games on his tally.
Borna painted a backhand down the line winner in the opening game for a break at love and held at love with a service winner in the next one to rattle off 12 straight points. The German recovered his strokes and delivered comfortable holds in games three, five and seven to remain within one break deficit.
Borna followed that pace and opened a 4-2 gap with an ace down the T line in game six. Altmaier grabbed the next one at love and served to stay in the match at 3-5. Borna cracked a forehand crosscourt winner for three match points and seized the first to seal the deal in style and set the Carlos Alcaraz clash.