In pain, Alcaraz eliminates his compatriot Munar at Queen’s

Alcaraz faced Munar (59th) in the second round of the Queen’s tournament. The two players had met three times on the tour, with an advantage for the native of El Palmar (2-1). Their last encounter dated back to Barcelona in 2022 (Alcaraz won 6-3, 6-3).

After a tight first set, with both men very solid on their serves, Alcaraz had to be extremely opportunistic to gain the upper hand in this match, converting his only break point. His compatriot, meanwhile, didn’t slow down in the following set, pushing the world No. 2 to a tie-break. Neck and neck in this decisive game, Munar was heroic, saving 2 match points to level the match at one set apiece against the 2023 champion (9-7).

The battle didn’t end there, as the score remained tight until the end. In pain and with over 50 unforced errors throughout the match, Alcaraz overcame his Spanish counterpart in nearly 3 hours and 30 minutes of play (6-4, 6-7, 7-5). With this victory, the 22-year-old player has now won his 15th consecutive match of the season and his 9th in a row on grass.

For a spot in the semifinals, he will face the winner of the match between Opelka and Rinderknech, scheduled right after on the Andy Murray Arena.