World number one Carlos Alcaraz scored a 6-4, 6-4 win over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in the last 16 of the Paris Masters on Wednesday, but Daniil Medvedev was sent packing by Alex de Minaur. Defending US Open champion Alcaraz will face either Grigor Dimitrov or Fabio Fognini for a place in the quarterfinals. The 19-year-old smashed 30 winners, including nine aces, despite heavy tape in his left knee, a point he reduced on Monday.
“I tried to find my level best. I think I played really well. I don’t think about the pressure of being world number one,” Alcaraz said.
Felix Auger-Aliassie stepped back from the brink to defeat Mikel Yammer in three hours and 30 minutes to begin his bid for a fourth title in as many weeks. The eighth seed from Canada extended her winning streak to 14 matches by winning 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 7-6 (8/6).
Auger-Aliassime saved two break points at 1-4 in the second set as Yammer looked ready to end his unbeaten run.
“Somehow I got a second wind after saving those break points 4-1,” Auger-Aliassim said. “It was so epic. Definitely a win to remember.”
Earlier, Australia’s Alex de Minaur defeated former world number one Medvedev to rediscover his pace in the final set to win 6-4, 2-6, 7-5.
Fifth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas had no problem making the last 16 after beating Britain’s Dan Evans 6-3, 6-4. De Minaur rallied 0–2 in a topsy-turvy final set, but lost two match points. Russia serve in an entertaining 10th game.
Despite that disappointment, he was again on the offensive at 6-5 and Medvedev’s double fault at 30/40 on the fourth match point gave De Minaur the biggest win of his career.
The world number 25, who had not beaten any top five before, will now face US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe, who defeated Jack Draper 6-3, 7-5.
After dropping the opening set, number three Medvedev regained control to level the match in the second set.
But the Russian became increasingly agitated, lost confidence, especially on his serve, and delivered a string of unforced errors.
He expressed his dismay at the end of the match that lasted two hours and 46 minutes and slammed his racket to the ground before warmly congratulated his 23-year-old opponent.
Tsitsipas moves on
Greek star Tsitsipas took the lead over Evans from the start and completed a comfortable victory in 80 minutes. As Evans struggled to contain the competition and made several unforced errors, Tsitsipas took the initiative by breaking his opponent’s opening service game in both sets.
“I was really looking forward to going out there and playing a fair match,” Tsitsipas said.
“Don’t have good memories from last year but I was trying to give it another chance this year. I’m happy with the way I played, I’m happy with the level of tennis when I got to and it was a great start “
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The 24-year-old, whose best performance at the bercy came in 2019, when he lost to Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals, will face either Cameron Norie, another Briton, or Frenchman Corentin Moutet.
He and Medvedev were both guaranteed to play the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin later this month, regardless of their performance in Paris. Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti defeated Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-2 to enter the last-16 with third seed Casper Rudd.
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