Carlos Alcaraz extended his winning streak at the Madrid Open to 14 matches, equalling a record. He achieved this with a hard-fought victory over Jan-Lennard Struff, progressing to the quarter-finals.
In last year’s final rematch at the Caja Magica, Alcaraz overcame Struff 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4). He now faces seventh seed Andrey Rublev next.
Top seed Jannik Sinner, battling a hip issue, defeated Karen Khachanov 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. This win marks his fourth Masters 1000 quarter-final this season.
Despite missing earlier tournaments due to a forearm injury, Alcaraz saved eight of ten break points. The match lasted nearly three hours. “How much I’ve missed this! Quarters next,” Alcaraz wrote on the camera lens post-match.
Alcaraz aims to win his third consecutive Madrid title, a first in the tournament’s history. Despite leading 2-0 in the second set, he lost his advantage but regained a 3-1 lead in the tiebreak. Struff rallied, but Alcaraz eventually won in the deciding tiebreak on his fifth match point.
“This match was a great fight, reminiscent of last year’s,” Alcaraz said. He acknowledged the challenge of controlling his emotions during crucial moments of the match.
Sinner, who achieved 80 per cent of first-serve points, will face either Casper Ruud or Felix Auger-Aliassime next. “I’m not physically at 100 per cent today,” he noted, looking forward to a recovery day.
Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev reached all Masters 1000 quarter-finals after defeating Alexander Bublik 7-6(7/3), 6-4. He awaits his next opponent, either Rafael Nadal or Jiri Lehecka.
In the women’s draw, Iga Swiatek faced a tough match against Beatriz Haddad Maia, winning 4-6, 6-0, 6-2. After losing the first set, Swiatek adjusted her strategy to secure victory.
Swiatek reflected on sticking to her tactics and basics after a challenging first set. She will face either Ons Jabeur or Madison Keys in the semi-finals. This marks her 15th semi-final appearance at a WTA 1000 event before turning 23.
