Carlos Alcaraz through but pushed to the limit at Barcelona Open by American teenager Ethan Quinn

Carlos Alcaraz began his 2025 Barcelona Open campaign with a deceptive straight-sets win over American teenager Ethan Quinn, navigating early turbulence to secure a 6-2, 7-6(6) victory and book his spot in the round of 16, where he will face Serbia’s Laslo Djere.

Fresh off his triumph at the Monte Carlo Masters, the world No. 2 arrived in Barcelona with momentum, but also the physical and mental residue of a title run. Against 19-year-old Quinn, who had little to lose, the Murcia native had to dig deep despite the routine scoreline.

In the opening set, Alcaraz squandered three break points in the very first game, but quickly recalibrated. From there, he surged, winning five consecutive games—breaking twice—to take full control. Although he missed a set point on Quinn’s serve at 5-1, Alcaraz closed out the set confidently in the following game, converting his second opportunity to seal it 6-2.

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Quinn Pushes Alcaraz to the Brink in Set Two

The second set looked promising early for Alcaraz, who broke immediately to go up 1-0. But Quinn, showing maturity beyond his years, broke back and then held to move ahead 2-1. The American added another break to extend his lead to 3-1, putting the pressure squarely back on the Spaniard.

Alcaraz responded in trademark fashion, clawing his way back to level at 3-3. Both players held firm from there, trading service games to 5-5. In the eleventh game, Alcaraz struck a decisive blow, earning three break points and converting the first to serve for the match at 6-5.

But Quinn wasn’t done yet. The teenager stunned the packed crowd by breaking back to force a tiebreak, and even held a set point at 6-5 in the breaker with Alcaraz serving. Under pressure, Alcaraz unleashed a clutch cross-court backhand to save it. He then edged ahead 7-6, and on his second match point, sealed the win 8-6 in the tiebreak after one hour and 45 minutes.

It wasn’t vintage Alcaraz, but it was a gritty performance that showcased his growing maturity. He now turns his focus to Laslo Djere as he continues his quest for a third title at the Barcelona Open.

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