world no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz advances to the quarterfinals in his debut in Basel. Carlos played his best post-US Open match in the second round, defeating Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 26 minutes for a place in the quarterfinals.
The Spaniard served at 75% and faced two break points. Van de Zandschulp took a break and lost serve four times to power through a teenager. Alcaraz shot 19 game winners and seven unforced errors and built the lead in the shorter and later rallies to seal the deal in less than an hour and a half.
Botic remained tied in the first game of the match, and Carlos repeated it in the second game for 1-1. Van de Zandschulp saved a break point in the third game, and Alcaraz kept love in the next for 2-2.
Carlos Alcaraz beat Botic van de Zandschulp for the second time in as many matches.
Botic created a break chance in game six with a smash winner, and Carlos saved it with a volley winner to stay on the positive side.
Alcaraz broke at 15 in game seven after forcing a backhand error from the opponent to build the lead. The Spaniard held after two in game eight with a volley winner and served for the set at 5-4. Carlos fired two service winners at 30-30 to seal the deal in 40 minutes and gain momentum.
Alcaraz wasted game points in the second game of the second set and got broken after a forced error to fall behind 2-0. world no. 1 recovered the break in game three and held on in the next with a 2-2 service winner. Van de Zandschulp double faulted in game five and faced two break points.
He netted a forehand in the first to fall behind 3-2 and push the youngster closer to the finish line. Carlos confirmed the lead with a service winner after deuce in game six and pressed hard on the return in the next.
Botic double-faulted to lose serve for the third straight time and fall behind 5-2. Alcaraz served out the win in game eight and earned three match points with a game-winning drop shot. Carlos hit an ace down the T-line to seal the deal and advance to the quarterfinals.
