Alcaraz Advances to Barcelona Round of 16: "It's Very Important to Save Energy Right Now"

Carlos Alcaraz made a strong start at the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona. Despite a scare and saving a set point in the second set, the Spaniard—who reclaimed the world No. 2 ranking from Alexander Zverev after winning the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 on Sunday—ultimately defeated American qualifier Ethan Quinn (6-2, 7-6).

After his victory, Alcaraz, a two-time champion at this event, reflected on his win and emphasized the importance of closing out such matches as quickly as possible to stay physically fresh.

"This is a very special tournament for me, so I’m really happy to be playing here again, at home. It was a tough match for me—I had to handle the pressure and nerves. But I’m very pleased to win in straight sets and save some energy for the next rounds.

The clay season is short and very intense. You have to be at 100% in every match, at every tournament. Just two days ago, I was playing a final in Monte-Carlo.

The conditions here are different, so I haven’t been able to rest at all. That’s why it’s very important to save energy right now," explained Alcaraz, who will face Laslo Djere for a spot in the quarterfinals, in comments to ATP media.