Carlos Alcaraz to face in-form Arthur Fils on tough day for seeds at Monte Carlo Masters

MONACO (AP) — Second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz moved into the Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinals after beating qualifier Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday.

Alcaraz saved nine of the 10 break points he faced and took five of the seven chances he had.

"Honestly it was difficult, Danny is playing great," the third-ranked Alcaraz said. "The score doesn't show how difficult it was."

At his first clay-court tournament this season, the Spaniard has won four straight sets for the loss of just five games since dropping the opening set to Francisco Cerundolo in their round-of-32 match.

Alcaraz next plays on Friday against Arthur Fils who won by an impressive 6-2, 6-3 against 2023 champion Andrey Rublev in the round of 16.

Fils has advanced to the quarterfinals at three straight Masters following Indian Wells and Miami last month, and raised his record to 14-6 this season.

Two more seeded players were upset on Thursday.

Fourth-seeded Casper Ruud lost to Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 and fifth-seeded Jack Draper was beaten by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4. British left-hander Draper had service problems with 10 double faults and landed fewer than half of his first serves.

The 42nd-ranked Davidovich, who eliminated 11th-seeded American Ben Shelton in the first round, faces Popyrin in the quarterfinals.

Three-time Monte Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas was playing the late match against unseeded Nuno Borges.