Carlos Alcaraz dug deep to book his place in the quarter-finals at Queen's, beating compatriot Jaume Munar on Thursday.
Queens Club Championship: Carlos Alcaraz Survives Jaume Munar Scare To Reach Quarterfinals
Alcaraz was pushed all the way by Munar, but was able to come out on top with a 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 7-5 win in a mammoth match that lasted nearly three and a half hours
Alcaraz was pushed all the way by Munar, but was able to come out on top with a 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 7-5 win in a mammoth match that lasted nearly three and a half hours.
The French Open victor was the first to break in the third game of the opening set, claiming the early advantage at the second time of asking.
But with Alcaraz needing 46 minutes to take the first set in the searing heat, the top seed appeared to struggle in the second as Munar more than matched his opponent.
Alcaraz saved break points at 3-3 and, after missing his chance to break in the ninth game, he then fended off six set points overall to force a tie-break.
He could not survive that, though, despite going toe-to-toe with Munar for the majority, with the latter finding an edge right at the end.
The pair then traded breaks early in the decider, and it looked like Munar was going to come away with a shock victory after taking a 4-2 lead.
However, Alcaraz pulled back level before earning a break in the final game to ensure his place in the last eight, where he will face Arthur Rinderknech or Reilly Opelka.
Data Debrief: Alcaraz just keeps winning
Alcaraz is no stranger to a lengthy match - just look at his latest French Open triumph - but this one saw him bring up an important milestone.
He has now won his last 15 matches in a row, making this the longest winning streak of his career.
He also now boasts a 22-1 record on grass since 2023 as he continues his preparation for another Wimbledon title defence, while he is into his ninth quarter-final of 2025 - more than anyone else on the ATP Tour.
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