Carlos Alcaraz overcomes Francisco Cerundolo with stylish Monte-Carlo comeback

Monte-Carlo

Alcaraz's stylish comeback seals maiden Monte-Carlo win

Spaniard faces Altmaier in third round at ATP Masters 1000

Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour Carlos Alcaraz records his first win at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. By Jerome Coombe

Carlos Alcaraz swiftly shook off a sluggish start on Wednesday to record his first ever win at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The 21-year-old showcased his strategic brilliance in a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Francisco Cerundolo to reach the third round at the ATP Masters 1000 event. Alcaraz’s shift to a more aggressive return position between the opening two sets, which accounted for a 44 per cent increase in first-serve returns landed, was instrumental in his one-hour, 37-minute comeback.

“I didn’t start well. I made a lot of mistakes and I let him play inside the court, dominating the points,” said Alcaraz, who improved to 16-4 in 2025. “I just knew that I had to do something else, play more aggressively, and play my own tennis: drop shots, going to the net and more aggression. The most important change was the return, I tried to return closer to the line and push him.”

With his 68th Masters 1000 match win, the five-time titlist Alcaraz passed Andy Roddick for the third most at that level before turning 22 years of age.

ATP Masters 1000 Win Leaders Before Turning 22 Years of Age

Although Cerundolo’s forehand is counted as one of his most destructive weapons, the Argentine found great success by outlasting Alcaraz in extended cross-court rallies on the backhand wing during the first set. Yet once Alcaraz had moved in to greet Cerundolo’s returns with purpose, Wednesday’s second-round clash had a completely different feel to it.

Bidding to avoid three consecutive tour-level defeats for the first time since 2023, Alcaraz raised his level in a clinical turnaround. The Spaniard crucially saved two break points in the opening game of the second, and found a rasping forehand winner on the run in the ensuing game to set himself on his way and improve to 3-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Cerundolo.

Awaiting Alcaraz, the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, in the third round is Daniel Altmaier. The German earlier put an end to Richard Gasquet’s 23-year long odyssey in Monte-Carlo by prevailing 7-5, 5-7, 6-2. Gasquet, who announced he will retire after Roland Garros this year, made his final appearance in Monaco after making his debut in 2002 as a 15-year-old wild card.

The 38-year-old Frenchman was aiming to become the second-oldest man to reach the round of 16 at an ATP Masters 1000 event in the series’ history (since 1990). Yet Altmaier found an extra gear in a dominant deciding set, during which he missed just one of 20 first serves, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Click here to read article