(Reuters) -Carlos Alcaraz eased past Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic 6-4 6-4 to reach the Cincinnati Open last 16 on Tuesday, battling the sweltering Ohio heat to notch his tour-leading 50th victory of the season.
The Spanish second seed also secured his 13th consecutive win at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, converting three of seven break points in a deliberate, slow-paced contest.
Treated for neck pain after the first set, Medjedovic ramped up in the second to shorten rallies, out-hitting Alcaraz 25–16 on winners but committing 38 unforced errors to the Spaniard’s 18.
“I know he’s a really powerful player,” Alcaraz said.
“His shots are incredibly hard to return. He has a big serve also. I know he doesn’t like to run too much from side to side, so my plan was to make him run as much as I could.”
Monte Carlo and Rome champion Alcaraz next faces Italian Luca Nardi as he continues his bid for an eight Masters 1000 title.
Earlier, Andrey Rublev rallied from a set down to edge Alexei Popyrin 6-7(5) 7-6(5) 7-5 in a fierce 3-1/2-hour battle.
The Russian ninth seed will play against Argentine Franciso Comesana, who claimed a stunning 6-7(4) 6-4 7-5 win over American Reilly Opelka.
In the women’s draw, second seed Coco Gauff advanced after Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska withdrew from their third-round clash due to illness. The American will face Lucia Bronzetti, who beat 23rd seed Jelena Ostapenko 1-6 6-3 6-4.
It marked the second third-round walkover, following fellow Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk’s withdrawal before her match against Polish third seed Iga Swiatek. The Wimbledon champion will take on Romanian Sorana Cirstea in the round of 16.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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