Two-time defending champion Alcaraz crashes out in Madrid

THE HAGUE: Spanish tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz hurtled into the Rotterdam Open semifinals on Friday with a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win over compatriot Pedro Martinez.

The world No. 1, bidding to become the first Spaniard to triumph in Rotterdam, will next face Hubert Hurkacz of Poland for a spot in Sunday’s final.

Eighth-seeded Hurkacz defeated Andrey Rublev, the Russian fourth seed, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4.

“I’m really happy with my performance today. I think I played at a really high level. No ups and downs in the match, which is something I’m really focused on,” Alcaraz said.

“It is always tough playing Pedro, so I knew I had to be really focused from the first ball to the last,” he added.

It was the first time the two Spanish players had met on the professional tour and Alcaraz showed the gulf in class between himself and Martinez, ranked 41 places below him.

He wasted no time in stamping his authority on the match, breaking the Martinez serve in the first game.

A second break followed quickly. Alcaraz wrapped up the first set with an ace.

The pattern repeated itself at the start of the second set. Martinez was the architect of his own downfall, losing his first service game with a double fault and a wild forehand.

Another unforced error from Martinez handed Alcaraz his second break of the set in the fifth game, which also featured the best rally of the match, both players covering all corners of the court.

Alcaraz wrapped up the match with yet another break, finishing off his opponent with a whipped crosscourt forehand, his 29th winner, in just over an hour.

“With every match I play, I’m improving. Hopefully, I can end up the week with the trophy,” said Alcaraz.

Earlier Friday, Stefanos Tsitsipas became the latest victim of an extraordinary run by Mattia Bellucci, as the Italian qualifier marched into the semifinals with a 6-4, 6-2 upset.

World No.12 Tsitsipas never got to grips with Bellucci’s left-handed serve and combination of flat backhands and heavy top-spin forehands, interspersed with well-disguised drop shots.

“At the beginning of the week, I would have never expected this result,” said Bellucci, 23, who had never before reached the semifinal of an ATP 500 event.

“I was really enjoying myself on court. Today I think I played even better, technically speaking, against a great opponent but I was in a mindset to fight for every point,” said the Italian.

Bellucci, ranked 92 in the world, had already demonstrated his giant-killing prowess by downing second seed Daniil Medvedev in the previous round.

Awaiting Bellucci in the semifinal is Australia’s Alex de Minaur, last year’s runner-up, who wasted no time in swatting aside German lucky loser Daniel Altmaier 6-1, 6-4.
 

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands: Carlos Alcaraz eased into the quarter-finals of the Rotterdam Open on Thursday with a comfortable straight-sets win over Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori.
The top-seeded Alcaraz had far too much firepower and accuracy for Vavassori, ranked 317 in the world, running out a 6-2, 6-1 winner in just over an hour.
“Today, I think I hit everything pretty well. I’m just hopeful I can keep going and be a bit better next round,” said the Spaniard after the match.
Wearing a breathing aid on his nose as he recovers from illness, Alcaraz got off to a flying start, breaking in the very first game and sealing the set 6-2 as the Italian pushed a forehand wide.
The Spaniard again broke early in the second set, taking the third game with a sumptuous lob. A second break followed quickly afterwards as the Italian double-faulted.
Alcaraz wrapped up the match with another break of serve, sending a powerful forehand return to the feet of the Italian, who could only poke it wide.
“I had no ups and downs today which is good for me, something I’m working on,” said Alcaraz.
Thursday’s victory was a stark contrast to his first-round match, when he required nearly three hours to dispatch local hero Botic van de Zandschulp.
“The first match of every tournament it’s never easy to get used to the conditions, so I’m just trying to make the most of the time I spent here in the first round,” he said.
Alcaraz will face Pedro Martinez for a place in the semifinals after his compatriot stunned Danish fifth seed Holger Rune 6-4, 6-1.
Earlier Thursday, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas saved a match point and battled from a set down to overcome local hope Tallon Griekspoor in a three-hour marathon.
The world number 12 eventually overcame spirited resistance from the Dutchman with a 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 victory in a match lasting around three hours.
“I feel like I was here for 10 hours today. I felt like me and Tallon played for ages and I feel like it was a marathon. We started yesterday and finished today,” he joked.
“I always felt that he brought the best out of me. We were both fighting pretty well out on the court. These are matches that are going to be remembered.”
Tsitsipas now faces a quarter-final clash with Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci, who shocked second seed Daniil Medvedev in a marathon three-setter on Wednesday.
Also through to the quarter-finals in the bottom half of the draw is last year’s runner-up Alex de Minaur, who defeated Czech teenager Jakub Mensik 6-4, 6-4.