Alcaraz battles past Quinn into Barcelona last 16

Carlos Alcaraz was forced to activity difficult to hit underdog Ethan Quinn to scope nan Barcelona Open past 16 connected Tuesday.

The world number 2 was a break down successful nan 2nd group against Quinn, classed 126th successful nan world, earlier fighting backmost to triumph 6-2 7-6 (8-6).

After redeeming 5 break points and breaking Quinn doubly successful nan opening set, Alcaraz was pushed overmuch harder by nan 21-year-old American successful nan second.

The players exchanged breaks connected 3 occasions and Alcaraz, 21, had to prevention a group constituent successful nan tie-break earlier yet winning through.

"I made immoderate mistakes, I recovered it difficult to support my level, but I americium happy to person solved nan problems that came successful nan 2nd set, and to extremity up winning successful 2 sets," Alcaraz told TVE.

Alcaraz is building up to nan commencement of nan French Open later this month, wherever he is aiming to triumph his 3rd title astatine Roland Garros.

The Spaniard, who won connected clay astatine nan Monte Carlo Masters past week, missed past year's French Open owed to wounded aft winning successful 2022 and 2023.

Earlier, defending Barcelona champion Casper Ruud sailed into nan past 16 pinch a 6-4 6-3 triumph complete Colombia's Daniel Elahi Galan.

Norwegian world number 10 Rudd, who has not won a tourney yet this season, deed 25 winners and did not look a group point.

Last year's runner up Stefanos Tsitsipas, nan world number 16, hit Reilly Opelka 6-2 6-2.