Spanish teenager Alcaraz, hoping to win a 3rd Masters title of the yr after earlier successes in Miami and Madrid, noticed off former world quantity three Dimitrov 6-1, 6-3 in 72 minutes.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz Garfia celebrates after profitable towards Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov on the finish of their males’s singles spherical of 8 tennis match on day 4 of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 – Paris Masters (Paris Bercy) – indoor tennis match at The AccorHotels Arena in Paris on 3 November 2022. Picture: Christophe ARCHAMBAULT/AFP
PARIS – World primary Carlos Alcaraz swatted apart Grigor Dimitrov in straight units on Thursday, as Novak Djokovic continued his Paris Masters title defence by additionally reaching the quarter-finals.
Spanish teenager Alcaraz, hoping to win a 3rd Masters title of the yr after earlier successes in Miami and Madrid, noticed off former world quantity three Dimitrov 6-1, 6-3 in 72 minutes.
Alcaraz can be confirmed because the year-end world primary earlier than the ATP Finals in Turin later this month if he lifts the trophy this weekend within the French capital.
“It was not his day, he didn’t play at his best, but I played my game,” mentioned the 19-year-old US Open champion.
Alcaraz will tackle Holger Rune for a last-four place after the Dane knocked out seventh seed Andrey Rublev with a 6-4, 7-5 win.
The high seed acquired off to a fast begin at Bercy Arena, taking 9 of the primary 10 video games to grab whole management of the match.
Dimitrov managed to interrupt again within the second set, however Alcaraz broke once more within the eighth sport and comfortably wrapped up victory.
He hit 16 winners and made solely six unforced errors in a dominant show, whereas Dimitrov noticed 24 unforced errors fly off his racquet.
Djokovic, looking for a record-extending seventh Bercy title this week, thrashed Russian Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-1.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion, already the winner of a document 38 Masters crowns, will play Lorenzo Musetti for a semi-final berth.
Djokovic stretched his profitable run in particular person tournaments to 18 matches, courting again to his French Open quarter-final loss to Rafael Nadal in May.
The Wimbledon champion has now received 10 of his 11 conferences with Khachanov – the one defeat coming within the 2018 Paris Masters ultimate.
He edged a decent opening set however powered to victory within the second, reeling off 5 straight video games.
MUSETTI KNOCKS OUT RUUD
“Khachanov is someone I know really well,” mentioned Djokovic. “We train a lot, and we played almost 10 times against each other on different surfaces. He beat me four years ago in the final, so I know he likes this surface, he likes these conditions.”
Italian teen Musetti downed third seed Casper Ruud in three units to succeed in his maiden Masters quarter-final the place he’ll come up towards Djokovic.
The 20-year-old, at a career-high rating of twenty third, got here from behind to beat the Norwegian Ruud 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
“He was playing really well and I had to play my best tennis to beat him,” mentioned Musetti.
“I am really happy that all the hard work I am doing keeps improving me. I am really proud of this win.”
Ruud has struggled since shedding the US Open ultimate to Alcaraz – having additionally been the French Open runner-up earlier this yr – profitable simply two of his final six matches.
Felix Auger-Aliassime prolonged his profitable streak to fifteen matches because the Canadian ended Gilles Simon’s profession with a 6-1, 6-3 success.
The eighth seed continues to be on observe for a fourth successive title and can subsequent play Frances Tiafoe after the American’s 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) win over Alex de Minaur.
Auger-Aliassime and Rublev each certified for the ATP Finals on Wednesday to finish the eight-man subject.
Former world quantity six Simon had mentioned he would retire after the match and the 37-year-old Frenchman bowed out of the game after shock wins over Andy Murray and Taylor Fritz earlier this week.
Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas noticed off one other dwelling hope Corentin Moutet 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) to arrange a gathering with Tommy Paul after the American who beat Rafael Nadal 24 hours earlier continued his run with a 6-4, 6-4 success over Pablo Carreno Busta.