Halep defeats Gauff to reach Madrid Open quarterfinals

Simona Halep continued to impress at the Madrid Open by overpowering American teenager Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-4 to make the quarterfinals on Monday.

A two-time Madrid Open champion, Halep upset No. 2-ranked Paula Badosa in the second round. The 21st-ranked Halep converted three of her five break opportunities to close out the center-court match against 16thranked Gauff.

Halep will face eighth-seeded Ons Jabeur, who defeated Belinda Bencic 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in a match interrupted by rain after the second set.

On the men's side, Jannik Sinner saved three match points in beating Tommy Paul 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-3. The American squandered two match points on serve at 5-3 in the second set, and another while trying to break at 65.

"It was a very difficult situation," Sinner said after the threehour match on center court. "I'm happy to be in the second round."

The 12th-ranked Sinner has yet to reach a semifinal in 2022, but reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, Miami and Monte Carlo.

The Italian next has Alex de Minaur, who beat Pedro Martínez 7-6 (2), 1-6, 6-3.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, coming off his maiden Masters final in Monte Carlo, got past Lloyd Harris after breaking late in both sets of a 7-5, 6-3 victory.

Nikoloz Basilashvili defeated Fabio Fognini in straight sets to set up an encounter with Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz, who already has three titles this season: Rio de Janeiro, Miami and Barcelona.

The 18-year-old Alcaraz has been attracting as much attention as Rafael Nadal, who is expected to make his return from injury on Wednesday.

The practice courts were packed at the Caja Mágica tennis complex on Monday when Alcaraz trained with Novak Djokovic.

The top-ranked Djokovic is scheduled to debut on Tuesday against Gael Monfils, who comfortably defeated Spaniard Carlos Gimeno Valero 6-3, 6-0.