New Delhi: Carlos Alcaraz matches the legendary Rafael Nadal’s elite feat after beating Karen Khachanov to reach the men’s singles quarter-finals of the Italian Open 2025 on Tuesday.
Alcaraz reached his maiden Italian Open quarter-finals to achieve a huge feat of reaching the quarters of all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.
Alcaraz defeated Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in a hard-fought game that lasted 2 hours and 28 minutes to set up a quarter-final meeting against British world number one Jack Draper. After reaching his maiden Italian Open quarter-final, Alcaraz became the second-youngest player to reach the quarterfinals of all nine ATP Masters 1000 events.
Alcaraz has achieved the feat at the age of 22 years and 13 days and is only behind Nadal, who completed the milestone at the age of 21 years and 154 days. Alacaraz also became the first man born in the 2000s to complete the set of quarters in the ATP Masters 1000 events since the series was introduced in 1990. He is only the fifth player to have achieved the feat before turning 23, joining legends like Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Youngest to reach quarterfinals at all ATP Masters 1000 events:
Rafael Nadal – 21 years, 154 days
Carlos Alcaraz – 22 years, 13 days
Novak Djokovic – 22 years, 177 days
Roger Federer – 22 years, 225 days
Marcelo Ros – 22 years, 318 days
Though Alcaraz was made to fight hard for the victory, he managed to extend his dominance against Khachanov with his fifth straight victory against the Russian in five meetings. Alcaraz, a three-time Grand Slam champion, reached the quarter-final of the Australian Open in the first Grand Slam of the season earlier this year.
Carlos Alcaraz to face Jack Draper in Italian Open quarterfinals
Alcaraz, who has now made it to the quarters of all nine ATP 1000 events, will look to make it to his maiden Italian Open final when he locks horns with no.5 seed Jack Draper in the quarter-finals. Draper staged a brilliant comeback to beat Corentin Moutet 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 to book a spot in the quarters. Alcaraz and Draper have played against each other five times with the Spaniard leading the head to head record 3-2.