Alcaraz handed walkover into Paris quarter-finals

Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday moved into the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters after his last-16 opponent Matteo Berrettini withdrew.

Alcaraz, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, was scheduled to play the Italian, but Berrettini pulled out ahead of their encounter with an elbow injury.

“Unfortunately, the pain in my arm that I’ve been putting up with for the past few days means I won’t be able to take to the court tonight,” Berrettini wrote on social media.

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after defeating Alex Michelsen of the US in their men’s singles match at the Paris Masters at the Plenitude Arena on Wednesday.

Photo: AFP

After receiving a bye through the first round as a top-eight seed, Alcaraz is into the last eight with only one match under his belt in Paris, a straight-sets success against Alex Michelsen.

He was to play American Taylor Fritz after press time last night for a spot in the semi-finals. Fritz beat French sixth seed Arthur Fils 6-3, 6-4 to stay in the running for a place at the ATP Finals.

Alcaraz has never won the Paris Masters. The Spaniard is the top-ranked player remaining in the draw after world No. 1 Alexander Zverev lost on Wednesday.

Berrettini, 30, has endured an injury-plagued career and was forced to retire earlier this season in Paris when a hip issue brought a premature end to his French Open quarter-final clash with Matteo Arnaldi.

Ben Shelton overcame France’s Arthur Rinderknech in a third-set tie-break to secure his passage into the quarter-finals.

The American third seed battled past the 68th-ranked Frenchman 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5) to avoid becoming the latest high-profile departure.

Shelton was to play compatriot Tommy Paul after the 12th seed beat Frenchman Quentin Halys 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in the day’s opening match on center court.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been on the court, but I’m looking forward to it,” Shelton said of taking on Paul for the first time since losing to the world No. 14 in Dallas two years ago. “He’s in great form right now. A great player, a great friend.”

Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata continued his run as he backed up his second-round victory over 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic with a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win against Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Zverev’s vanquisher Lorenzo Musetti failed to use his round-of-32 upset as a springboard to a first 1000-level title, losing a long three-set battle to Frenchman Luca van Assche 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

Former world No. 2 Casper Ruud of Norway closed the day’s action with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.