INDIAN WELLS (AFP) — Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz sailed into the quarterfinals of the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters on Tuesday as he took revenge on Fabian Marozsan with a 6-3, 6-3 victory.
The Spanish defending champion had a score to settle with the 58th-ranked Hungarian after losing their only other meeting in last year’s Rome Masters.
Alcaraz never let his opponent into the fourth-round match, breaking twice in the opening set and winning 12 of the first 13 points of the second.
The top seed reeled off 22 winners in 75 minutes to race into quarterfinals.
After a slow start this season and an ankle roll several weeks ago in Brazil, the 20-year-old appeared on course to continue his chase to a possible second title here.
“I was nervous before the match, I’m not going to lie,” Alcaraz said.
“I was playing someone who beat me when I had no chances in the Rome match.”
But Alcaraz walked off a winner completely pleased with his performance.
“Let’s say (it was) almost perfect. I can play better,” Alcaraz said.
“But I’m really happy with the way I approached the match, the way that I played, and my feelings.”
“I moved well, I controlled very well the timing of the match. In the toughest moments, break points down, break points up, I managed very well that timing.”
“My confidence is getting higher.”
The world No. 2 marked his 50th Masters victory with the defeat of Marozsan, and his ninth straight win in Indian Wells.
Alcaraz will face sixth seed Alexander Zverev for a place in the semifinals.
Zverev advanced to the Last Eight after overcoming blustery conditions to beat Alex de Minaur 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 in two and three-quarter hours.
“I’m the worst player in the wind,” the German winner said of the breezy on-court conditions.
“You don’t feel your shots.”
“But I managed and found a way, that’s the most important thing.”
Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas failed to reach a second career quarter-final here, with the 11th seed losing 6-2, 6-4 to rising Czech youngster Jiri Lehecka.
The upset was the youngster’s second in succession after dispatching fifth seed Andrey Rublev in the previous round.
Tsitsipas, whose form has been modest so far this season, achieved the Last Eight during his 2018 debut at the Tennis Garden but has yet to duplicate that effort.
He was ousted in 78 minutes by No. 32 Lehecka, winner of the January Adelaide title and now heading into the first Masters quarterfinal of his career.
The Czech who has been working since late last season with a mental coach, will await the winner of Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner’s clash with Ben Shelton.
Lehecka, 22, dominated from the start, claiming the opening set with two breaks of Tsitsipas and losing just four points on serve.
In the second set, the Czech saved four break points and advanced on his first match point.
In the women’s fourth round, Dubai champion Jasmine Paolini lost 7-5, 0-6, 6-3 to Anastasia Potapova while Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 6-1 to reach the Last Eight.
