Monte-Carlo, April 9 : Carlos Alcaraz delivered a statement win at the Monte-Carlo Masters on Wednesday, overturning a sluggish start to power past Francisco Cerundolo 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 and advance to the third round.

Competing for the first time since his opening-round defeat at the Miami Open last month, the 21-year-old Spaniard, known for his all-court versatility, adapted swiftly after a shaky opening set, altering his return position and injecting aggression into his game to spark a dramatic turnaround.

'I didn't start well. I made a lot of mistakes, and I let him play inside the court, dominating the points. I just knew that I had to do something else, play more aggressively, and play my own tennis: drop shots, go to the net, and more aggression.

"The most important change was the return. I tried to return closer to the line and push him," said Alcaraz.

Cerundolo dictated early exchanges with his heavy forehand and targeted Alcaraz's backhand in long rallies, but the momentum shifted sharply in the second set. Alcaraz's tactical adjustment'stepping inside the baseline to return serve'helped him land significantly more returns in play and snatch control of the tempo.

He saved two break points early in the second set and never looked back, unleashing a series of precision groundstrokes and timely net rushes to dismantle the Argentine's rhythm.

The final set was nearly one-way traffic. Alcaraz moved with confidence, reading Cerundolo's patterns and redirecting pace with flair. With this win, he avoided a three-match losing streak and improved his head-to-head record against Cerundolo to 3-0.

Next up for Alcaraz is Germany's Daniel Altmaier, who ended Richard Gasquet's long-standing Monte-Carlo chapter with a 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 win. Gasquet, making his final appearance in the Principality after debuting as a 15-year-old in 2002, was one match away from becoming the second-oldest man to reach the last 16 of a Masters 1000 event.

/IANS