Alcaraz progresses at Queen's as Fearnley reaches first quarter-final
PAMedia/DPA
London
Jacob Fearnley dished out another French lesson as he reached a first career ATP Tour-level quarter-final at Queen's Club, while top seed Carlos Alcaraz also progressed.
British number two Fearnley beat volatile qualifier Corentin Moutet 6-3 2-6 6-2 at the HSBC Championships.
In doing so, Fearnley extended his remarkable, perfect record against French players to 17 wins from 17 matches.
He said: 'I'm very happy to be in my first quarter-final, it's even better to do it here in the UK. It's really special for me, I've dreamed of these moments since I was a young boy.
'I tried to stick to my game plan and be aggressive. I did that better in the third set and the result speaks for itself.' Fearnley wrapped up a controlled first set with a double-ace finish, while madcap Moutet got a ticking-off from umpire Adel Nour for chucking his racket.
However, the momentum shifted quickly when three double-faults from the home player gave Moutet an early break in the second.
But Fearnley reset well in the decider, breaking Moutet with a backhand winner down the line, prompting the fiery 26-year-old to whack a ball high over the stands and earn a long-overdue warning from the chair.
A diving backhand volley secured a double break and Fearnley kept his head as Moutet lost his - bickering with the umpire and the crowd - to wrap up victory in just over two hours.
Fearnley will play a fellow 23-year-old, Czech world number 30 Jiri Lehecka, in the last eight.
Top seed and 2023 winner Carlos Alcaraz escaped from being a break down in a deciding set to win an all-Spanish clash with Jaume Munar.
The five-time grand slam champion, 22, squandered two match points in a second-set tie-break and then fell 4-2 behind in the third.
But on the hottest day of the year, with temperatures hitting 32 degrees Celsius in west London, Alcaraz kept his cool to win 6-4 6-7 (7) 7-5 after three hours and 23 energy-sapping minutes.
It was two hours shorter than his five-set French Open final win over Jannik Sinner earlier this month, and Alcaraz wrote on the TV camera lens: 'Were we on clay?'
After a 15th straight win, the longest winning run of his career so far, a near-exhausted Alcaraz admitted: 'It was a really tough battle.
'He's a great competitor. I'm proud of how I played today. I struggled mentally and physically. Very proud and happy to give myself another chance to be in the quarter-final.'
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