ROTTERDAM: Carlos Alcaraz eased into the quarter-finals of the Rotterdam Open on Thursday with a comfortable straight-sets win over Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori.

The top-seeded Alcaraz had far too much firepower and accuracy for Vavassori, ranked 317 in the world, running out a 6-2, 6-1 winner in just over an hour.

`Today, I think I hit everything pretty well. I`m just hopeful I can keep going and be a bit better next round,` said the Spaniard after the match.

Wearing a breathing aid on his nose as he recovers from illness, Alcaraz got off to a flying start, breaking in the very first game and sealing the set 6-2 as the Italian pushed a forehand wide.

The Spaniard again broke early in the second set, taking the third game with a sumptuous lob. A second break followed quickly afterwards as the Italian double-faulted.

Alcaraz wrapped up the match with another break of serve, sending a powerful forehand return to the feet of the Italian, who could only poke it wide.

`I had no ups and downs today which is good for me, something I`m working on,` said Alcaraz.

Alcaraz will face Pedro Martinez for a place in the semi-finals after his compatriot stunned Danish fifth seed Holger Rune 6-4, 6-1.

Earlier on Thursday, Greece`s Stefanos Tsitsipas saved a match point and battled from a set down to overcome local hope Tallon Griekspoor in a threehour marathon.

The world number 12 eventually overcame spirited resistance from the Dutchman with a 6-7(5/7), 7-6(8/6), 7-5 victory in a match lasting around three hours.

Tsitsipas now faces a quarter-final clash with Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci, who shocked second seed Daniil Medvedev in a marathon threesetter on Wednesday.

Also through to the quarter-finals in the bottom half of the draw is last year`s runner-up Alex de Minaur, who defeated Czech teenager Jakub Mensik 6-4, 6-4.-AFP