Match Report
Alcaraz drops just three games in Bublik demolition, returns to Monte-Carlo SFs
Spaniard to next meet De Minaur or Vacherot
April 10, 2026
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz in action on Friday in Monte-Carlo.
By Sam Jacot
Carlos Alcaraz continued his bounceback week on Friday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, where he dispatched Alexander Bublik 6-3, 6-0 to reach the semi-finals in the Principality for the second consecutive year.
The Spaniard suffered a disappointing third-round exit to Sebastian Korda in Miami in March but has looked comfortable on his return to clay this week in Monaco. After overcoming Argentines Sebastian Baez and Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Alcaraz passed his test against eighth seed Bublik, who was facing the Spaniard for the first time.
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In an entertaining opening set played in front of footballing royalty Paolo Di Canio, Alcaraz dealt with Bublik’s variety and touch, outfoxing the 28-year-old in a number of cat-and-mouse exchanges. The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings then motored through the second set on Court Rainier III to earn his 300th tour-level win, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
“I started the match pretty well,” Alcaraz said. “I had points to be two breaks up and didn’t make it and then I lost a bit of the feeling on the ball. I had to run side to side a lot, had to defend and then a few games gave me a lot of confidence in the match. I was playing aggressively and I played a great and solid match against a player that you don’t know what they will produce next. I am happy to get through and to play another semi-final here.”
Alcaraz is now just two wins from successfully defending his title in Monte-Carlo, having beaten Lorenzo Musetti in the championship match last year to triumph at the clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time.
Alcaraz has won his past 16 matches on clay, dating back to last year’s victories in Rome and at Roland Garros, where he saved three championship points to defeat Jannik Sinner. The 22-year-old will next meet fifth seed Alex de Minaur or Monegasque star Valentin Vacherot in the semi-finals on Saturday.
The top seed is seeking his third trophy of 2026, having completed the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January and won the ATP 500 title in Doha.
