Alcaraz, Zverev reach last 16 at Miami Open

MEGAN BRIGGS/ GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/ Getty Images via AFP

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz dominated Gael Monfils 6-2 6-4 and fourth seed Alexander Zverev escaped a tight first set en route to a 7-6(4) 6-3 win over Christopher Eubanks to reach the last 16 at the Miami Open on Monday.

Alcaraz is on a quest to capture the Sunshine Double after his triumph at Indian Wells and the 20-year-old was never really threatened in a match-up of two of the game's most entertaining players.

The Spaniard appeared to be cruising to the finish line when he served for the match leading 5-2 but Monfils rifled a forehand winner to break and extend the match.

The comeback would prove short lived, however, with Alcaraz deploying a textbook serve and volley on his first match point to seal the win with a love hold.

Alcaraz, who won the tournament in 2022, will next face Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, who beat American Ben Shelton 6-4 7-6(5).

Zverev limited his unforced errors, converted his two break point opportunities and saved four of the five break points he faced before closing out the one hour and 44-minute contest with a forehand volley into the open court.

Eubanks had a chance to serve out the first set at 5-3 but was denied by Zverev, who broke the American again early in the second set to build a 3-0 lead. Zverev later had to save three break points to serve out the match.

Awaiting Zverev in the last 16 will be 15th seed Khachanov, who converted his fifth match point to secure a 6-1 5-7 7-6(5) win over Argentine 20th seed Francisco Cerundolo. Zverev has a 3-2 record against Khachanov and won their most recent meeting in the gold medal match at the Tokyo Olympics.

Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, Australia's Alex de Minaur and Hungarian Fabian Marozsan also all advanced.

More from Sports News

  • India lead England by 244 runs in Edgbaston test

    India finished day three of the second test on 64-1 to lead England by 244 runs after they dismissed the hosts for 407 in the first innings at Edgbaston on Friday despite Jamie Smith's commanding and unbeaten knock of 184.

  • Grand Slam champions Keys, Osaka crash out of Wimbledon

    There were to be no Fourth of July celebrations for American Madison Keys as she joined the exodus of seeds from Wimbledon with a 6-3 6-3 defeat by 104th-ranked German Laura Siegemund in the third round on Friday.

  • Liverpool's Diogo Jota mourned in hometown wake

    Prime Minister Luis Montenegro joined members of Diogo Jota’s family for a private wake on Friday in the Liverpool footballer’s hometown in northern Portugal following his death alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in Spain.

  • Cilic takes Agassi's tried and tested route to get back into winning form

    Catching a millionaire Grand Slam champion in action on the second-tier Challenger Circuit is a rare sight, especially since cheering fans and creature comforts are in short supply when compared to the glitz and glamour of the main ATP Tour events.

Blogs