By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Carlos Alcaraz put on a masterclass after sweeping Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets- 6.3, 6.3- to advance to the quarterfinal round of the ongoing Miami Open on March 27, 2024, at the Miami Gardens in Florida, USA.
After dominating Gael Monfils during their Round of 32 clash, Alcaraz just turned on the jets to dispose Musetti in a familiar one-sided beating.
From the get-go, it was all Alcaraz as the world no. 2 ranked male tennis player showcased his signature baseline prowess that kept on finding the line to pile up the early points.
Alcaraz kicked off his offensive party with three straight forehand winners and topped it off with a series of acrobatic net finishes that put the crowd on their feet.
Musetti tried to counter Alcaraz by playing the top-spin lob in hopes of neutralizing the baseline area but the young Spanish ace just stuck to his game plan and pummeled the ball with ease.
Despite a new strategy Musetti used in the second set when he approached the net several times, the rolling Alcaraz just proved to be too much and overpowered his way with his down-the-line winners.
Musetti had a little momentum when he scored a drop shot and followed it up with a backhand score but Alcaraz officially closed his door when he broke his service possession twice to reach match point.
Alcaraz dominated the service department after wrapping up the win with an impressive 81% win rate on his first service.
After the match, Alcaraz collected a total of 33 service points, 57 points won in every rally, and 12 games won in the two-set showdown.
