Carlos Alcaraz serves revenge to Fabian Marozsan in Indian Wells

World no. 2 Carlos Alcaraz reached his 11th Masters 1000 quarter-final and the third in a row in Indian Wells. The defending champion took down Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 6-3 on Stadium 1 in the fourth round in an hour and 15 minutes, sailing into the last eight and keeping the world no. 2 battle with Jannik Sinner alive. Fabian stunned Carlos in Rome last year but could not produce anything like that in this one. The Spaniard dominated with his first serve and defended two break chances he played against, mounting the pressure on the other side. Marozsan served at 55% and struggled after missing the first, facing eight break points and losing serve three times to end his run in the last 16.

Carlos Alcaraz, Indian Wells 2024© Clive Brunskill / Staff – Getty Images Sport

Carlos Alcaraz is safely through into the last eight in Indian Wells. 

Carlos tamed his strokes nicely and forged the advantage in the shortest, mid-range and most advanced rallies for a relaxed day at the office. Marozsan sprayed a backhand error in the first game of the encounter and experienced a break point. He denied it with a smash winner and brought the game home to avoid an early setback. World no. 2 held at 15 in the second game with a service winner and locked the result at 2-2 with another fine hold two games later. Marozsan stayed in touch early on and reached deuce on the return in the sixth game before Alcaraz clinched it with two service winners and leveled the score at 3-3. Carlos stepped in on the return in the seventh game, creating three break chances and converting the last after a forced error for a 4-3 lead and a massive boost.

Carlos Alcaraz, Indian Wells 2024© Clive Brunskill / Staff – Getty Images Sport

The Spaniard cemented the lead with a hold at 15 in game eight after a poor volley from his rival, who served to stay in the set at 3-5. Carlos played another solid return game and seized a set point with a backhand down the line winner, clinching the opener 6-3 after 41 minutes. They served well at the beginning of the second set, with five commanding holds and a 3-2 lead for the Spaniard. Carlos shifted into a higher gear on the return in game six, landing a volley winner for three break points.

Alcaraz seized the third with a forehand down the line winner, opening a 4-2 advantage and moving closer to the finish line. Carlos faced two break points in the seventh game and denied them, keeping his serve intact and holding with an ace for a 5-2 advantage. Marozsan served to stay in the match in game eight and delivered a nice hold to prolong the action. The defending champion served for the triumph at 5-3 and created three match points after drawing Fabian’s mistake. Carlos converted the first with a forehand winner, moving over the top in style and advancing into the last eight for the third straight year in the desert.