Alcaraz cruises into Madrid fourth round

Carlos Alcaraz’s quest for a third consecutive Mutua Madrid Open title gathered momentum on Sunday when he dispatched Brazilan Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-3, 6-3 to reach the fourth round.

The second-seeded Spaniard, who has often found his best level in Madrid, is seeking to become the first player in history to win three straight titles in the Spanish capital.

After beating Alexander Shevchenko in his opening match, the 20-year-old produced a dominant performance against Seyboth Wild in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

"I think I played at a really good level," Alcaraz said. "Coming into this match I was nervous a little bit because I didn't know how my forearm was going to be. Thiago has big shots. He is really strong. I am really happy with the performance. It was difficult a little bit at the end, at 5-0 and then serving at 5-3. I am really happy to get it at the end."

Alcaraz gained the decisive break in the sixth game of the first set when Seyboth Wild netted a forehand. The No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings took further control with an early break of serve at the start of the second set after the Brazilian missed a forehand volley.

Alcaraz missed clay-court events in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona due to a right arm injury and played with strapping against Seyboth Wild. However, he looked comfortable throughout, striking his forehand powerfully to force the 24-year-old deep during the 76-minute clash. He ended with a 20-18 winners-to-unforced errors count, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

The two-time major champion is chasing his sixth ATP Masters 1000 crown and second of the season, having lifted the trophy in Indian Wells. He will next meet Jan-Lennard Struff, who lost to Alcaraz in last year’s Madrid final.

"Hopefully the result is going to be like the final last year," Alcaraz said looking ahead to his match with Struff. "I know his level. I know his game and I know that I have to play at my best if I am going to have to beat him. Be really focused on return, putting as many balls in and being in the rallies."

Hubert Hurkacz improved to 8-1 on clay this season with a 6-4, 7-6(2) victory against Germany’s Daniel Altmaier.

The eighth-seeded Pole, who hit 28 winners and committed 10 unforced errors in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Altmaier, reached the quarter-finals in Madrid in 2022. He will aim to match that run when he takes on Taylor Fritz or Sebastian Baez in the fourth round.

Earlier this year, Hurkacz won his first clay-court tour-level trophy in Estoril.