Carlos Alcaraz accomplished some stellar feats as he earned a hard-fought win over Karen Khachanov to progress to the quarter-finals at the 2025 Italian Open.
The world No 3 defeated 24th-ranked Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in the last 16 of the Masters 1000 event in Rome.
Alcaraz won five straight games after falling 1-3 down in the opening set, but he saw a 3-2, break advantage slip away in the second as Khachanov staged a turnaround of his own.
In the decider, Alcaraz’s 4-1 lead disappeared as Khachanov battled back to 4-4, but the Spanish star delivered the decisive blow when the Russian serve to stay in the match at 5-6.
By reaching the last eight at the Italian Open for the first time, Alcaraz has now made the quarter-finals at all nine Masters 1000 tournaments.
At the age of 22 years and 13 days, Alcaraz is the second youngest player to feature in the last eight of every Masters event on the ATP calendar since the category was introduced in 1990.
Rafael Nadal is the only man to achieve this at a younger age, having reached his ninth different Masters quarter-final when he was 21 years and 154 days old.
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Marcelo Rios also progressed to the last eight at every Masters tournament before turning 23.
Youngest players to reach the quarter-finals at every Masters 100o tournament
Rafael Nadal – 21 years and 154 days
Carlos Alcaraz – 22 years and 13 days
Novak Djokovic – 22 years and 177 days
Roger Federer – 22 years and 225 days
Marcelo Rios – 22 years and 318 days
Alcaraz’s win against Khachanov was his 75th Masters 1000 victory in his 98th match at this level of event.
Only Nadal (91) and Stefan Edberg (97) have reached the 75-win milestone in fewer Masters matches.
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Alcaraz will face world No 5 Jack Draper in the quarter-finals in Rome after the 23-year-old Brit downed Corentin Moutet 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the fourth round.
The four-time major winner leads the head-to-head 3-2, with Draper having won their last encounter in the Indian Wells semi-finals in March.
“Jack is playing great,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “The way he’s playing is really high. I’ve been watching his matches. His results lately are huge. I have to be ready for that. I think it’ll be a great battle.
“My record in quarter-finals is pretty good. But every match is different. I have to show my best tennis if I want to beat him.
“Let’s see. Last time I played him, I lost. I have to take the good things about that match and the bad things and I have to learn about that. Let’s see tomorrow.”
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