Alcaraz and Sinner Advance to Indian Wells Quarterfinals; Lehecka Beats Tsitsipas
Indian Wells, March 13 (IANS) The defending champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain secured a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Fabian Marozsan to advance to the quarterfinals of the ATP Master 1000 event. Alcaraz avenged his last year’s Rome loss to the Hungarian with aggressive play from the baseline.
Alcaraz, the second seed, notched his 50th match win at the ATP Masters 1000 level with a dominant performance, showcasing heavy firepower to overpower Marozsan. The match lasted one hour and 15 minutes as Alcaraz broke Marozsan multiple times to seal the victory.
In the first set, Alcaraz broke in the seventh game after a tough battle. Despite Marozsan saving initial break points, Alcaraz’s strong forehand shots helped him secure the set. The Spaniard continued his momentum in the second set, breaking Marozsan for a 4-2 lead with another impressive forehand passing shot.
Leading 5-3, Alcaraz saved two break points in the final game before sealing the match with a sublime forehand winner, leaving Marozsan in disbelief. The defending champion will now face German Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals, seeking redemption for his previous defeat at the Australian Open.
Zverev, who defeated Alex de Minaur in a thrilling match, will provide a tough challenge for Alcaraz. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner maintained his unbeaten streak in 2024 with a victory over Ben Shelton, extending his winning streak to 18 matches. The Italian will face Jiri Leheckam in the quarterfinals, who is on a hot streak after upsetting top players in Indian Wells.
