Carlos Alcaraz 'out mentally' after winning three-hour epic last-16 Queen's clash against Jaume Munar, Jannik Sinner beaten in Halle

Carlos Alcaraz was forced to contest his Queen's last-16 clash against Jaume Munar for three hours and 26 minutes, eventually crossing the finish line on his third match point. The Spaniard was perplexed at how he managed to finally secure victory and equally confused at how a best-of-three set match on grass could last that long. Elsewhere, Jacob Fearnley reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final.

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Carlos Alcaraz was in disbelief after his last-16 victory at Queen's ran to three hours and 26 minutes.

The world No. 2 eventually overcame compatriot Jaume Munar 6-4 6-7(7) 7-5 to advance to the quarter-finals, extending his winning run to a career-best 15 matches.

The 22-year-old is hoping to win a third straight tournament, after following up his Italian Open triumph with his second Roland-Garros crown.

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But he was made to work hard for his win on Thursday, playing 256 points over 34 gruelling games on the Andy Murray Arena.

At least he still had the energy to leave viewers with a parting gag, comparing the usually fast-playing grass-courts of west London to the rally-heavy clay he had just left behind.

'3:30h? Were we on clay?' wrote Alcaraz on the camera lens shortly after his victory.

Still, the epic contest was over two hours shorter than the mind-blowing 2025 French Open final, though that, of course, was played over five sets rather than three.

Alcaraz's best shots from 2025 French Open

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"Jaume is a great competitor," Alcaraz told BBC Sport. "I think you saw today how difficult it is to beat him. There were a lot of things going on in the match but I'm just really, really happy.

"In the third set there was a moment where I struggled a lot mentally, physically. Honestly, I still don't know how I'm standing here, but I'm just really, really proud and happy to give myself another chance to work harder."

Despite breaking at the first opportunity in the deciding set, Alcaraz lost three straight games and needed to dig deep to recover.

A mammoth 16-point tie-break in the second saw Alcaraz pass up two match points, but the Spaniard managed to take advantage of his third, breaking Munar in the last game of the contest.

Asked how he got over the line, the five-time Grand Slam winner was almost speechless, simply replying: "I don't know."

"I just kept fighting," Alcaraz continued. "I guess I didn't give up.

"Honestly I could show that I was out mentally, but I stayed there, I tried to fight. But, as I said, I still don't know."

Bublik earns 'special' win over Sinner

Alexander Bublik's run to the French Open quarter-finals was halted by Jannik Sinner just over two weeks ago, but the world No. 45 avenged that defeat in Halle on Thursday.

Sinner, who had not lost to anybody other than Alcaraz since August 2024, cruised 6-3 in the first set, but then became unstuck by a resurgent Bublik, who took a single break in each of the final two sets to reach the final eight of the Terra Wortmann Open.

"We are tennis players and we try to win every match we play but it is a special one," Bublik said. "I had never beaten a No. 1 in the world. It is an accomplishment."

He added: "I kept serving. I tried to be clutch. I tried to get back whatever I [could]. He is an unbelievable player and I was not thinking that I could beat him.

"But I had a few chances and executed them well. I kept serving. I had better chances than at Roland Garros. I stayed there, tried to return as much and serve aces, so the ball doesn't come back and it worked really well."

Sinner was the defending champion in Halle, with his triumph in last year's event his maiden grass-court tour-level title.

Bublik will face Tomas Machac in the quarter-final.

Bublik stuns Sinner to end Italian's 49-match streak

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Fearnley on Draper collision course

Jacob Fearnley had to deal with a fiery Corentin Moutet on Thursday, eventually beating the French qualifier 6-3 2-6 6-2 to reach his first career ATP Tour quarter-final.

The 23-year-old endured a difficult second set, but the pressure finally told on his opponent, who launched a ball into the stands after being broken at 1-1 in the deciding set.

Predictably, the crowd inside the Andy Murray Arena booed his outburst, but were on their feet for Fearnley when he ultimately wrapped up the win.

"It's really special for me, I've dreamed of these moments since I was a young boy," Fearnley told BBC Sport.

"It's even better to do it here in the UK - to do it here in front of this crowd and on this court is unbelievable."

"I tried to stick to my game plan and be aggressive," he added. "I did that better in the third set and the result speaks for itself.

"It's really special to have everyone here and watch me play on this stage."

Should Fearnley dispatch his last-eight opponent, Jiri Lehecka, on Friday, a possible all-British semi-final beckons against Jack Draper, who faces Brandon Nakashima in his quarter-final.

'Proper British' Boulter 'can't handle the heat'

Katie Boulter may have lost her British No. 1 crown to Emma Raducanu this week, but the 28-year-old was determined to avoid defeat to compatriot Sonay Kartal at the Nottingham Open.

Boulter is in the hunt for a third successive Nottingham title and was pushed to her limit by Kartal in a 6-4 1-6 7-5 win.

The world No. 39 admitted that her 23-year-old opponent would "surpass" her one day, and noted that her struggles in the heat showed she was "proper British".

"I have so much respect for Sonay, she is such a tough competitor and I also know she's never going to give me anything at any point," said Boulter.

"I know she's going to surpass me at some point, she's got the game for it, she's got the head for it. I'm going to have to face that fact.

"But at the very end I just wanted to grit my teeth as hard as I possibly could and get myself over the line. I'm really pleased with myself today. It wasn't easy, for sure.

"I feel like I step into my house when I come onto this court. I have such great vibes here but the heat was killing me today.

"I am definitely proper British because I can't handle the heat at all. I'm just glad I got over the line."

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