HSBC Championships 2025: Carlos Alcaraz fights to book his place in the quarter-finals
• 2 MINUTE READ
The 2023 champion Carlos Alcaraz will continue his bid for the HSBC Championships title after digging deep to come through a gruelling three set match against countryman Jaume Munar.
The Spanish No.1 and No.5 battled for three hours and 26 minutes on the Andy Murray Arena – eventually winning 6-4, 6-7(7), 7-5.
The world No.2 will face Arthur Rinderknech in the quarter-finals on his quest for his second HSBC Championship title.
Now with 23 victories in his 26 matches on grass, Alcaraz continues his career record 15-match winning streak after claiming titles at ATP Masters 1000 Rome and Roland Garros ahead of this tournament.
“It was a really tough battle that we had today, I mean Jaume is a great competitor. I think he has shown today how difficult it is to beat him and I’m just proud about the level I played today.” Alcaraz reflected.
“It’s my second match on grass this year, a lot of things going on in the match but I’m just really really happy. In the first set there was a moment that I struggled a lot mentally, physically. Honestly I still don’t know that I am standing here but just really really proud and happy to give myself another chance in the quarter-final.”
“I don’t know (what got me over the line today). I just kept fighting, I guess. I didn’t give up, honestly, I was out mentally but I stayed there, I tried to fight, I tried to play the points on the return and the serve, tried to play my best points in the first set but I still don’t know.”
The Roland Garros champion looked comfortable as he took an early break in the opening set. Despite a temperamental first serve, the Spaniard won 12 of his 13 first service points to hold onto his games and the lead to see out the set.
There wasn’t much between the pair in the second set, as the Spaniards battled it out in the blistering heat. A mammoth game taking just under 25 minutes at 4-5 looked to be the decider but as world No.2 saved four set points and the set hurtled towards a tie-break.
A double fault from the 2023 champion helped Munar save a second match point before the world No.59 took his opportunity to force a deciding set on the second time of asking.
With emotions high in the third, the 22-year-old looked unsettled as he went down a break. However, the five-time grand slam champion fought back from a break and 4-3 30-0 down to bring the set back on serve.
Alcaraz showed his ability to stage comebacks in the French Open final this season and Munar was set to become his latest victim. He won four or the last five games, finishing with a smash that drew out the error from Munar to seal his quarter-final spot.
His quarter-final match will be third on the Andy Murray Areana tomorrow, following the British No.1 and 2 – Jack Draper and Jacob Fearnley – as they kick off proceedings against Brandon Nakashima and Jiri Lehecka.
Alcaraz has won both his previous meetings with Rinderknech - most recently at Queen's in 2023 en-route to his title.
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