Alcaraz beats Paul to set up Fritz clash, Medvedev cruises

World number one Carlos Alcaraz charged into the quarter-finals of the ATP Miami Open with a convincing 6-4, 6-4 victory over Tommy Paul but second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was knocked out by Russian Karen Khachanov.
Alcaraz, the defending Miami champion and also the winner at Indian Wells earlier this month, will face another American in the last eight when he comes up against Taylor Fritz.
Paul came into the match having won his last 12 encounters with Spanish players, including wins over Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal last year, but he was unable to get a foothold in the contest.
It was the ninth straight victory for the 19-year-old Spaniard, who delighted a supportive South Florida crowd with his powerful strokes from the baseline and readiness to move forward, once again making use of his increasingly effective drop shot.
“I moved well and defended well and I counter-attacked and I think if I play at that same level I will have a lot of chances to get through,” said Alcaraz.
“I feel at home here. It is easy to play here in Miami with all the energy I receive every day.”
Tsitsipas had to wait a week for his first contest in Miami, beating Chilean Cristian Garin on Monday, but he came unstuck against Khachanov, losing 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
The Greek has been troubled by a shoulder injury in recent weeks but Khachanov ended his six match losing streak against Tsitsipas and 23 match barren spell against top ten opponents.
His serve was reliable throughout and broke Tsitsipas’ serve to love in the fifth game of the second set and kept his cool to see out the win. “Both of us were serving pretty well in the first set... Then I took it to the tie-break, and in the second set as soon as the opportunity came, I had to take it,” he said.
In a clash of top-10 players, American Fritz defeated Denmark’s Holger Rune 6-3, 6-4 to reach to the last eight in Miami for the first time in his career.
Fritz, who won at Delray Beach last month, beat Emilio Nava and Denis Shapovalov in straight sets before Tuesday’s encounter and he was pleased with the way he was able to go on the attack.
Fritz will be joined in the quarter-finals by compatriot Christopher Eubanks who claimed another scalp by beating France’s Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5).
Eubanks now faces world number five Daniil Medvedev after the Russian comfortably dealt with French qualifier Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-2 in a match which started after midnight following a four-hour rain delay.
Italian Jannik Sinner also advanced to the last eight without dropping a set and he was in firm control from the outset against Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev, winning 6-2, 6-4. Sinner will face Emil Ruusuvuori after the Finn beat Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Cirstea upsets Sabalenka in Miami quarter-finals
World number two Aryna Sabalenka suffered a shock quarter-final straight sets loss to Romanian Sorana Cirstea yesterday at the Miami Open.
Cirstea, ranked 74th in the world, triumphed 6-4, 6-4 to reach her first WTA 1000 semi-final since 2013.
In the last four, Cirstea will face the winner of other quarter-final between Ekaterina Alexandrova and Petra Kvitova.