MONTE CARLO: World number three Alexander Zverev outclassed Federico Delbonis 6-1, 7-5 in Monte Carlo on Wednesday to reach the last 16 of the Masters tournament after top seeds Carlos Alcaraz and Felix-Auger Aliassime crashed out.

Zverev, who took to court as the highest ranked player remaining in the tournament, lost the first four points of the match but breezed through the first set in just over 20 minutes and dropped only three points on serve.

The 24-year-old was tested by Delbonis in the second, fighting back from 2-4 down and winning the next 11 points to move within a game of victory before converting his third match point.

“It’s not bad for a change of surface after Miami, you have to take that into consideration a little bit. I’m happy with the win,” said Zverev, who lost to Norwegian Casper Ruud in the quarter-final of the hardcourt event.

The German’s best run in the Principality tournament was 2018 when he reached the semi-finals, while he exited last year in the third round.

“I know that I have to play much better,” Zverev added. “This is the only Masters on clay that I haven’t won. I’m very motivated to do that and hope I can show it on court this week.

Earlier, unseeded American Sebastian Korda mastered the windy conditions to topple world number 11 Alcaraz 7-6 (7-2), 6-7(5-7), 6-3 in an entertaining battle that lasted just over three hours, with both players struggling for rhythm.

“After losing to a Spaniard in Indian Wells and serving for it, it was nice to get a victory today,” said the 21-year-old Korda, who pushed Rafa Nadal to a third-set tiebreak at the California tournament. “It was a crazy match!”

Alcaraz insisted that his shock exit was not a consequence of his sudden rise to fame which has seen him earmarked as a future Grand Slam champion and world number one.

“I’m a bit disappointed with myself. I had a lot of chances to be up in the match and close to winning, but these losses are sometimes good to live. You have to play matches,” Alcaraz, who had arrived on the back of winning the prestigious Miami Masters title, said.

“But I didn’t think about the expectations that the people have for me. I just focused on me and what I have to do. But as I said, you have to play more matches on clay courts.”

Korda will take on compatriot and Indian Wells winner Taylor Fritz after he beat former US Open champion Marin Cilic 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 while Zverev will face Pablo Carreno Busta, who advanced after Alexander Bublik retired in the third set.

Sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime was also a loser on Wednesday, falling to 83rd-ranked Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).

“I live here and practice here,” said Musetti who made the last 16 at the French Open in 2021 where he lost to Djokovic from two sets up.

“My backhand down the line was a key to many of my great shots. After a really good first set, he came back with such powerful serving, but I was calm and patient and that was the most beautiful thing about today.”

British seventh seed Cameron Norrie was defeated by Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

However, Jannik Sinner, the Italian ninth seed, eased past Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori 7-5, 6-3 and will face Russia’s fifth seed Andrey Rublev for a quarter-final place.

Last year’s finalist Rublev prevailed 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 over Alex de Minaur while fourth seed Ruud saw off Holger Rune 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2022