Alcaraz claimed an entertaining point in the fourth game of the second set, landing a volley winner and moving 3-1 in front. The four-time Major winner held at love for a 6-1, 4-1 advantage in 57 minutes. Nardi faced deuces on the return in game six, standing on the verge of exit door.

Alcaraz meets the Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka for a place in the last four on Feb 20. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Elsewhere in Doha, Alex de Minaur claimed a 6-4 6-4 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp, his 200th tour-level hard-court win to set up a quarter-final against fifth seed Andrey Rublev, who beat Nuno Borges 6-3 6-4.