Alcaraz follows the leader into Cincy quarters

Jannik Sinner set the pace as Carlos Alcaraz followed the Wednesday template into the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Masters with a straight-sets win.

Holder Sinner laid down the law to difficult veteran Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 7-6 (4) to move into a match with Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 6-3.

Second seed Alcaraz, a finalist at his last six events stretching back to the claycourt spring, needed to get past a speed bump at the end to complete his defeat of Italian qualifying lucky loser Luca Nardi 6-1, 6-4.

The Spaniard earned his ATP-leading 51st match win of the season during which he has won a pace-setting five titles. 

Alcaraz went up an early break in the second set after dominating the first but lost it. He did not recover full control until he got the break back in a 12-minute ninth game to take a 5-4 lead after eight deuces. .

He double-faulted on his first match point but sliced over a volley winner on his second chance.

“This match was my best so far of the tournament,” Alcaraz said. “At the start I wanted to get better each day and I’ve done that.

“I’m proud of that and happy with how I felt the ball and how I moved. I’m getting used to the conditions. “I’m happy to get through and have another chance in the next round.”

Sinner, who last competed when he won Wimbledon, earned his  24th consecutive hardcourt match win to gain his fifth quarter-final of the season.

Sinner had to pause for three hours in the afternoon as bad weather interrupted play. He passed at least some of the time playing cards with his team 

The Italian from the German-speaking northern alps delivered his 11th and 12th aces to clinch victory.

“He’s a very difficult opponent, different from the other players,” Sinner said of Mannarino. “He can read the opponent well. “It was a struggle to close it out, but I’m happy to be in the quarter-finals.”

French qualifier Terence Atmane shocked fourth seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to win the biggest match of his career and shed a few tears of joy after the biggest success of his career.

Fifth seed Ben Shelton, last week’s Toronto champion, reached the fourth round with a 7-6 (3), 6-3, victory over Roberto Bautista Agut in a match rescheduled from Tuesday due to rain.  

Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz moves into quarter finals in Cincy -by ATPTour.com