World number two Carlos Alcaraz said he “did not know how I’m still standing here” after battling to victory over Jaume Munar to reach the Queen’s quarter-finals.
Spain’s Alcaraz needed three hours and 26 minutes to beat his inspired compatriot 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 7-5 on a scorching London afternoon.
Alcaraz had two match points on his serve in the second-set tie-break but double faulted on one, and then had to come back from a break down in the decider.
The match took place just 11 days after the epic French Open final, where Alcaraz saved three championship points before battling back to beat Jannik Sinner and retain his title.
The 22-year-old wrote “3h30 – were we on clay?” on the camera lens after his victory over Munar.
“There were moments I struggled a lot mentally and physically,” Alcaraz said. “I just kept fighting. I guess I didn’t give up.
“I was out mentally, but I stayed there and tried to play the points and play my best points from the first set.”
Two-time defending Wimbledon champion Alcaraz will face either big-serving American Reilly Opelka or France’s Arthur Rinderknech for a place in the last four.
