Carlos Alcaraz through to Italian Open quarter-finals

ROME: Carlos Alcaraz thrashed Karen Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to advance into the quarter-finals of the Italian Open here at the Foro Italico on Tuesday.

After falling 1-3, Alcaraz made a strong comeback, winning the remaining five games in a row to claim the first set.

Alcaraz led the second set 3-2, but Khachanov came back to force the match into the decider.

Alcaraz started impressively in the decider, leading 4-1, but Khachanov battled back to equalise it at 4-4. But the four-time Grand Slam winner delivered in the clutch moments to secure the set.

After reaching the last eight, Alcaraz has now reached the quarter-finals at all nine Masters 1000 tournaments.

He has also become the second youngest, at 22 years and 13 days, to make it to the final eight of every Masters event on the ATP calendar since the category was introduced in 1990.

Rafael Nadal holds the record for achieving the feat at a younger age; he did it when he was 21 years and 154 days old.

Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Marcelo Rios have also achieved the same feat before turning 23.

On Wednesday, Alcaraz will now face British Jack Draper in the last eight of the Italian Open. 

It will be important for the Spaniard to make it to the semis. He is aiming for his third title of the season and top-two seeding at the French Open, which starts on May 25.