Alcaraz defeats Jan-Lennard Struff to reach Madrid R16

Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion at the Madrid Open, faced a tough challenge against Jan-Lennard Struff but managed to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

In a rematch of last year’s final, Alcaraz found himself pushed to a deciding set tie-break by the 23rd-seeded German player, after missing out on multiple match points at 5-3.

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However, the Spanish world number three ultimately triumphed in front of a supportive home crowd, clinching a hard-fought 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-4) victory after nearly three hours of play.

Alcaraz, who has won the last two editions of the Madrid Open and currently boasts a 14-match winning streak in the Spanish capital, now advances to face Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals. Rublev secured his spot with a straight-sets victory over Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor earlier in the day.