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 [March 26, 2024]
(Reuters) -Top seed Carlos Alcaraz dominated Gael Monfils 6-2
6-4 and fourth seed Alexander Zverev escaped a tight first set en
route to a 7-6(4) 6-3 win over Christopher Eubanks to reach the last
16 at the Miami Open on Monday.
Alcaraz is on a quest to capture the 'Sunshine Double' after his
triumph at Indian Wells and the 20-year-old was never really
threatened in a match-up of two of the game's most entertaining
players.
The Spaniard appeared to be cruising to the finish line when he
served for the match leading 5-2 but Monfils rifled a forehand
winner to break and extend the match.
The comeback would prove short lived, however, with Alcaraz
deploying a textbook serve and volley on his first match point to
seal the win with a love hold.
"He's a great athlete. He reaches almost every ball," Alcaraz said
of 37-year-old Frenchman Monfils.
"But at the same time, with my forehand, my best shot, I tried to
move him around the court, tried to get him tired a little bit."
Brazilian soccer player Neymar, Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler and
former Grand Slam champion Juan Martin del Potro were among those on
hand for the contest.
"It's kind of difficult to stay focused on the match, having such
legends from every sport," Alcaraz said.
"It's a great opportunity to have them here, to talk with them a
little bit. It's great to put on a show in front of them."
Alcaraz, who won the tournament in 2022, will next face Italy's
Lorenzo Musetti, who beat American Ben Shelton 6-4 7-6(5).
Zverev limited his unforced errors, converted his two break point
opportunities and saved four of the five break points he faced
before closing out the one hour and 44-minute contest with a
forehand volley into the open court.
"It was a difficult match. I thought he was in control of it
throughout the first set," said former Miami Open finalist Zverev.
"I was just hanging on and sometimes that is just what you need to
do."
Eubanks had a chance to serve out the first set at 5-3 but was
denied by Zverev, who broke the American again early in the second
set to build a 3-0 lead. Zverev later had to save three break points
to serve out the match.
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Mar 25, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) hits a
forehand against Gael Monfils (FRA) (not pictured) on day eight of
the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff
Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Awaiting Zverev in the last 16 will be 15th seed
Khachanov, who converted his fifth match point to secure a 6-1 5-7
7-6(5) win over Argentine 20th seed Francisco Cerundolo.
Zverev has a 3-2 record against Khachanov and won their most recent
meeting in the gold medal match at the Tokyo Olympics.
Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, Australia's Alex
de Minaur and Hungarian Fabian Marozsan also all advanced.
Briton Andy Murray said he will be sidelined for an "extended
period" after suffering a severe ankle injury during his 5-7 7-5
7-6(5) third-round loss to Tomas Machac on Sunday.
"Yesterday towards the end of my match in Miami I suffered a full
rupture of my ATFL (anterior talofibular ligament) and near full
thickness rupture of my CFL (calcaneofibular ligament)," the
36-year-old posted on Instagram.
"Goes without saying this is a tough one to take and I’ll be out for
an extended period."
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico
City and Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Ken Ferris and
Peter Rutherford)
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