Alexander Zverev edged closer to a trophy hat-trick at the home ATP event in Munich on Wednesday , with the top seed crushing compatriot Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-2.

Zverev, who lost in the first round last week in Monte Carlo, claimed Munich titles in 2017 and 2018  

The seed ranked third in the world needed less than 90 minutes to advance to the quarter-finals on the Bavarian clay,

Zverev finished off victory in his fourth match point, sending over a drop shot which Altmaier could not control.

Zverev advanced with 14 winners and 22 unforced errors, with Altmaier contributing 24 mistakes.

Less than 48 hours after winning the Monte Carlo title, Carlos Alcaraz was back on court, with the Spaniard conserving valuable energy with a 6-2, 7-6 (6) opening win at the Barcelona Open.

The top seed won his 11th straight match at the Catalan home venue after titles in 2022 and 2023.

He defeated American qualifier Ethan Quinn, ranked 126th, with Alcaraz posting his 18th clay win from 19 matches played since last May.

Alcaraz saved a Quinn set point in the second-set tiebreaker before wrapping up the win in an hour and three-quarters.

“Clay season is short and intense, week after week,” the winner said. “You have to give your 100 per cent in every match, every tournament.

“I played the Monte Carlo final on Sunday and flew yesterday. I was able to train to get used to the court and the conditions.

“But I could not rest at all, so saving energy is really important. Sometimes we need a few days to recharge our batteries and rest.”

He added: “I was glad to go through and give myself the chance to play another match.”

Alcaraz enters the second round against Laslo Djere after the Serb scored a three-set opening win.

Carlos Alcaraz completed his Cinderella story at the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday, with the second seed lifting his first title here at the expense of an injured opponent.

Lorenzo Musetti was unable to compete in the final set as he suffered with an injury to his hip and upper right thigh.

The Italian, a crowd favourte at this venue just 15 kilometres from the Italian border, went down 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 to a subdued Alcaraz,

Musetti will move to 11th in the world on Monday, scant consolation after a tough week on the clay.

The 21-year-old Alcaraz, winner of four Grand Slam titles, had never won a match in the principality prior to this edition. His only other appearances ended with a 2022 opening loss to Sebastian Korda.

A potentially chaotic scenario with Sunday’s rain forecast, was avoided with an unorthodox noon start for the final.

Musetti said “it’s always a lesson from Carlos. It’ not easy to talk after this  defeat, I had hoped to fight to the end.

“I hope to challenge to the end but it was not to be today,”

Alcaraz now owns six Masters 1000 titles while Musetti will achieve a career-high ranking of 11th after his performance this week.

Musetti swept through the opening set, with Alcaraz striking 14 unforced errors. But as his physical problems began to set in, the momentum shifted in favour of Alcaraz, who ran out victory in an hour and three-quarters.

“This is not the way you want to win a final,” Alcaraz said. “Lorenzo has been through a tough week, paying long and intense matches

“I feel sorry for him and hope he recovers quickly. I hope it’s nothing serious and he will be 100 per cent really soon.”

Alcaraz, who heads onto home clay of Barcelona next week, added: “I’m happy to have won here for the first time. 

“I’ve had some (unspecified) tough situations off court. I’m proud of how I dealt with everything., it’s been a difficult one for me.

“I’m glad the hard work paid off. I had to stop onto the court and find a way to play good tennis and not focus on anything else.”

Alcaraz was playing in his third straight clay final after Roland Garros and the Paris Olympics.

Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz with his first Monte Carlo Trophy – by ISF Ltd