Favorite Carlos Alcaraz easily secured his ticket to the quarter-finals of the Miami Open on Tuesday.
The Spaniard needed less than 90 minutes to beat Italian Lorenzo Musetti, 23e seeded, in two sets of 6-3, 6-3.
Alcaraz looked comfortable on court and said he was “probably” playing his best tennis since last summer. The ankle injury he suffered last month no longer worries him, he says.
“I don’t know if it’s the best tennis I play, but it’s undoubtedly the best feeling,” said the Wimbledon tournament champion. I feel very good on the pitch. I move very well too. I no longer think about my ankle on the field. »
Alcaraz will now face Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (no 11) during the quarter-finals on Thursday. Dimitrov showed the exit door to Pole Hubert Hurkacz (bo 8) in three sets of 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3).
The reigning champion in Miami, Daniil Medvedev, signed his 350e career victory and he qualified for the quarterfinals of the tournament for a fourth year in a row. He triumphed 7-6 (5), 6-0 against Dominik Koepfer.
After a tight first set, the third seed won the second in just 30 minutes. It was Medvedev’s ninth straight victory in Miami.
Koepfer led 4-0 in the tiebreaker, before seeing his opponent come back and take the set.
On Wednesday, Medvedev will face Nicolas Jarry, 22e seeded, in the quarter-finals. Jarry defeated seventh seed Casper Ruud 7-6 (3), 6-3.
Defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, the second seed, improved his record to 19-1 this year with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Christopher O’Connell.
Tomas Machac also booked his ticket to the quarter-finals following his 6-3, 6-3 victory against Matteo Arnaldi.
On the women’s side, two-time major champion Victoria Azarenka defeated Yulia Putintseva 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-3 and advanced to the semi-finals. Azarenka has won the Miami tournament three times.
Fourth seed Elena Rybakina faced eighth seed Maria Sakkari in the evening.