Alcaraz Advances to Quarterfinals of Italian Open
Revamped Recap: Tennis Battle royale at Rome Masters 2025
Third seed Carlos Alcaraz put up a hard-fought match against Russia's Karen Khachanov, his fifth encounter to date. This face-off took place on the Foro Italico's center court.
Alcaraz set his sights on the Rome semifinals for a shot at his third title of the year. Moreover, he eyed a top-two seeding for the upcoming French Open, a tournament that kicks off later this month.
With a 12th clay-court win, Alcaraz advanced to encounter fifth seed Jack Draper, who had defeated France's Corentin Moutet.
Post-match, Alcaraz spoke about the challenging match saying, "It was tiring. I had to run. I had to run a lot. I didn't play well. I just fought, and I'm just really happy about it."
Initially, it seemed like Alcaraz would sail through, winning six games in a row to clinch the first set and the opening game of the second set. However, Khachanov showed resilience, breaking Alcaraz's serve in game five of the second set. This turn of events prompted the 28-year-old Russian to breakback immediately and claim the set.
Khachanov's spirit remained unbroken, securing three consecutive games to tie the third set at 4-4, just when Alcaraz seemed on the verge of victory. Nevertheless, Alcaraz was not to be denied and took home the win in a nail-biting match.
Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner gears up for a stern test of his Roland Garros form, facing Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo. Last time Sinner competed here in 2023, he was ousted by Cerundolo in the last 16. Other significant matches include reigning Rome champion Alexander Zverev battling Arthur Fils, and sixth seed Jasmine Paolini squaring off against Diana Shnaider in one of the women's quarterfinals.
The enrichment reveals that Alcaraz, having clinched the second seed for the French Open, will only face Sinner in the tournament finals if both players reach that stage, avoiding an early confrontation. Alcaraz's performance in Rome contributed to his ranking, ensuring he maintains his position behind Sinner in the seeding. As of now, Alcaraz ranks second with 8,240 points in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
France's Corentin Moutet could have tested Alcaraz's skills in sports like tennis, had he not been defeated by Jack Draper earlier in the tournament. Russia's tennis player, Karen Khachanov, showcased his determination against Alcaraz, a feat that might have impressed viewers from both France and Russia.
