No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, putting on a clinic of efficiency in defeating Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 on Monday in Melbourne.
The 20-year-old Spaniard reached the quarterfinals in the tournament for the first time with a one-hour, 49-minute win. He has dropped just one set through his first four matches.
On Monday, Alcaraz won points on 83 percent of his first serves, converted five of nine break points, and hit 43 winners against 19 unforced errors, compared to 14 and 17, respectively, for his Serbian opponent.
Monday’s match was the second all-time between Alcaraz and Kecmanovic, with the Spaniard winning in five sets in Miami in 2022. Five sets had been the order in Melbourne for Kecmanovic, who went the distance in his previous two rounds.
Alcaraz acknowledged he was the more rested of the two.
“I think everything (worked) tonight,” Alcaraz said. “In Miami in 2022 it was a really close match, a high level from both of us. I think today it was a pretty good match as well, but I pushed him to the limit with every ball, in every point.
“Obviously he has played a lot of matches in five sets, a lot of tough matches before this one, so probably physically he wasn’t at 100 percent. Every ball I pushed him to the limit, moved him side to side. I took my chances in every set, and I think it was a pretty good match from myself.”
Alcaraz next will meet sixth-seeded Alexander Zverev, who defeated Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie in a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) marathon.
Zverev, of Germany, moved to 5-0 all-time against Norrie, the No. 19 seed, in the four-hour, five-minute victory.
Zverev struck 54 winners, including 15 aces. Norrie responded with 56 winners of his own but racked up 63 unforced errors.
“At the end of the day, this is a Grand Slam. Everybody is playing their best here,” Zverev said on-court after the match. “Cam was definitely playing amazing tennis and I’m just happy to be through.”
Also through are third-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia and ninth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, who will meet in the quarters.
Medvedev defeated Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-3, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-1.
Hurkacz eliminated Arthur Cazaux 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3), 6-4 despite 18 aces from the Frenchman.
–Field Level Media