Carlos Alcaraz And Jannik Sinner Reach Cincinnati Open Quarterfinals

World No.2 Carlos Alcaraz feels he played his best match of the Cincinnati Open when he defeated Luca Nardi by 6-1, 6-4 on Wednesday night. With this win, the Spaniard reached the quarterfinals of the tournament.

Alcaraz was able to hit the ground running, winning 13 of the first 14 points of the match. The 22-year-old was able to wrap up the opening set in 27 minutes.

But in the second set, the Italian was able to bounce back stronger as he took a 4-2 lead. However, Alcaraz won the next four games to book his place in the quarters.

“I think this match was the best so far for me in this tournament,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “At the beginning of the tournament, I just really wanted to get better every day, after every practice and every match. I think I’m doing it, which I’m really proud about. I’m just really happy with the way I felt the ball today and the way that I moved.”

Alcaraz will next face ninth seed Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals on Friday.

On the other hand, Jannik Sinner bested French qualifier Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 7-6(4) in a rain-disrupted match. Sinner is yet to drop a set in the ongoing Cincinnati Open.

The Italian admitted it is always challenging to face the Frenchman on the tour.

“He is a very tough opponent. Very different from other opponents, not only because he is a lefty but how he hits the ball. It is very low,” Sinner said. “I just tried to serve well and tried to see what I could do in the return games.

“He was serving very well, especially on the Ad side, and on the wide one was very precise. I changed the position, trying to make him feel uncomfortable. I struggled a bit to close it out, but this can happen in this sport, and I am very happy to be in the next round.”

Sinner will next take on Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals on Thursday.