MATCH POINT: Carlos Alcaraz completes Masters QF set in Rome

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It wasn't easy but Carlos Alcaraz continued his mastery over Karen Khachanov on Tuesday, battling past the former Top 10 player in the fourth round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.

He’s now 5-0 lifetime against Khachanov.

And with that victory, the 22-year-old Spaniard isn't just through to the quarterfinals in Rome for the first time, he's now reached the quarterfinals or better at all nine Masters 1000 events in his career.

Rome was the only one missing in his collection.

ALCARAZ'S BEST RESULT AT EACH MASTERS 1000 EVENT:

  • Won Indian Wells [2023, 2024]
  • Won Miami [2022]
  • Won Monte Carlo [2025]
  • Won Madrid [2022, 2023]
  • QFs of Rome [2025]
  • QFs of Canada [2023]
  • F of Cincinnati [2023]
  • QFs of Shanghai [2024]
  • QFs of Paris [2022]
Alcaraz was originally up a set and a break against Khachanov at 6-3, 3-2 on Tuesday but ended up holding off the former No. 8 in three sets.

Alcaraz was originally up a set and a break against Khachanov at 6-3, 3-2 on Tuesday but ended up holding off the former No. 8 in three sets.

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And there’s more.

Alcaraz, who was born in 2003, is actually the first man born in the 2000s to complete a career set of Masters 1000 quarterfinals.

A few others born in the 2000s are close: Jannik Sinner is only missing Paris, so he could complete his collection later this year; and Felix Auger-Aliassime is only missing Monte Carlo and Shanghai.

Alcaraz is only the eighth man born in 1990 or later to do it.

MEN BORN IN 1990 OR LATER TO REACH ALL 9 MASTERS 1000 QFs:

  • Grigor Dimitrov [born in 1991]
  • Dominic Thiem [born in 1993, now retired]
  • Daniil Medvedev [born in 1996]
  • Hubert Hurkacz [born in 1997]
  • Alexander Zverev [born in 1997]
  • Andrey Rublev [born in 1997]
  • Stefanos Tsitsipas [born in 1998]
  • Carlos Alcaraz [born in 2003]

And there’s even more.

Having already reached the quarterfinals of every Grand Slam, Alcaraz is also the first man born in the 2000s to reach the quarterfinals of every Grand Slam AND every Masters 1000 event.

Only three of the men listed above who were born in the 1990s—Dimitrov, Medvedev and Rublev—have completed both sets.

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Awaiting the No. 3-seeded Alcaraz in the quarterfinals in Rome will be No. 5-seeded Jack Draper, who—while Alcaraz was battling to victory on Campo Centrale—had a battle of his own over on SuperTennis Arena, coming back from a first set blow-out to win an all-lefty battle against Frenchman Corentin Moutet, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Alcaraz leads Draper in their overall head-to-head, 3-2, but Draper has won their last two completed matches, a 7-6 (3), 6-3 victory on the grass courts of Queen's Club last year and a 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 win in the semifinals of Indian Wells earlier this year, on hard courts.

They'll be playing each other on clay for the first time.