Carlos Alcaraz reaches the round of 16 in Madrid without breaking a sweat

The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz advanced with authority to the round of 16 of the Mutua Madrid Open, the fourth Masters 1000 of the season, without finding opposition from the Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild (6-3, 6-3), while he also Spanish Alejandro Davidovich said goodbye this Sunday against the Russian Andrey Rublev.

Alcaraz, champion in the last two editions, had a peaceful second match in search of defending the title at the Caja Mágica to meet, precisely, his victim in the last final, the German Jan-Lennard Struff. The Murcian, still with protection on his right arm due to his last injury, had six demanding games and the rest was almost a breeze.

Both started with an unstable game, like the weather in the capital, but it didn’t rain nor did Alcaraz allow himself to be entangled by a Seyboth Wild who proposed an exchange ‘to kill’. In an open grave, the Brazilian did well at the start, with a great serve and winning blows, but he did not benefit from the two-time ‘Grand Slam’ champion, who tested himself and verified that there is no longer any discomfort.

The Spaniard won and, with the ‘break’ with which he took the lead (4-3), he chained eight games in a row. The Brazilian lowered his arms and twisted his face, looking for the fast route without any success. Alcaraz saw his rival immolate herself against the net or with balls out, also lowering his level a lot with the serve to concede one break after another in the second set until 5-0.

The one from El Palmar, without competing since Miami and on land since February in Rio de Janeiro, opened the door for the American to get some tennis (5-2). The champion did not take long to shake off those nerves to close the match that he had not felt for a long time and, with the security of an arm that responded well to the Brazilian’s cannons, he advanced one more round in his love affair with the capital.

In the morning session at the Caja Mágica, Davidovich was left with honey on his lips against Rublev who, like the man from Malaga, was looking for a turning point in his irregular moment. The first set marked the match, an intense exchange without break options until sudden death, where the Spaniard had five set points. The Russian avoided partial defeat and his comeback gave him a plus.

However, despite losing his starting serve in the second set, Davidovich, who aspired to repeat last year’s round of 16, stood up and clung to Manolo Santana in a set full of alternatives that smiled at Rublev. The Russian will now face the Dutch Tallon Griekspoor, who surprised the Dane Holger Rune.