Roland Garros Champion Faces Fellow Spaniard After Smooth Start
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz will face unseeded compatriot Jaume Munar in the second round of the Queen’s Club Championships (HSBC Championships). Alcaraz was initially slated to open against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, but the latter withdrew due to illness.
The reigning Roland Garros champion instead faced lucky loser Adam Walton, securing a straight-sets win, though the Aussie pushed him to a tiebreak in the second set. Munar, on the other hand, advanced after taking the opening set against Jordan Thompson, who was forced to retire mid-match.
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To talk about Alcaraz’s 2025 season is to talk about sheer brilliance. Apart from a shock opening-round loss to David Goffin in Miami and a withdrawal from Madrid due to an adductor issue, he’s been virtually unstoppable. The Spaniard has racked up titles in Rotterdam, Monte Carlo, Rome, and, most notably, his fifth career Grand Slam at Roland Garros.
He was also a finalist in Barcelona, a semifinalist in Indian Wells, and made quarterfinal runs in Melbourne and Doha. Statistically, he’s backed it all with 161 aces, 71% first-serve points won, 37% first-serve return points won, and a 44% break point conversion from 419 chances.
Munar, meanwhile, has had an inconsistent run. While he reached the semifinals in Hong Kong and Dallas, injury setbacks, including withdrawals from Adelaide and Argentina, halted any real momentum.
Since then, he hasn’t made it past the Round of 16, with several early exits. His numbers reflect the inconsistency: 106 aces, 72% first-serve points won, 31% first-serve return points won, and a 42% break point conversion from 213 chances.
Carlos Alcaraz holds a 2-1 edge over Jaume Munar in their head-to-head. Their first meeting came in the 2021 Marbella semifinals, where the older and more seasoned Munar took advantage of a still-developing 17-year-old Alcaraz, upsetting him in straight sets.
But by 2022, the dynamic had shifted. Alcaraz’s rise was rapid. He defeated Munar in a gritty three-setter in Rio de Janeiro, then dominated again in straight sets at Barcelona, asserting his growth as a top-tier force.
| Year | Event | Round | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Barcelona | Round of 16 | Carlos Alcaraz | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 2022 | Rio de Janeiro | Round of 32 | Carlos Alcaraz | 2–6, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 2021 | Marbella | Semifinal | Jaume Munar | 7–6(4), 6–4 |
| Carlos Alcaraz | Category | Jaume Munar |
| 2 | Current Ranking | 59 |
| 246-61 | Career W-L | 104-146 |
| 37-5 | YTD W-L | 14-12 |
| 20 | Career Titles | 0 |
| 5 | Grand Slams | 0 |
| 4 | YTD Titles | 0 |
Alcaraz enters this matchup in blistering form, riding high on four titles, including Roland Garros, and barely putting a foot wrong all season. With Munar struggling for rhythm and results, this clash looks like a mismatch on paper.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets
At 1/40, Alcaraz is the overwhelming favorite, reflecting both his dominant form and Munar’s recent inconsistency. Munar’s 13/1 odds underline the massive gap in expectations. An upset would rank among the season’s biggest shocks.
Here are the betting odds according to BetMGM:
Carlos Alcaraz: 1/40
Jaume Munar: 13/1
Here are the odds for total games as well as total sets for both players (sourced via BetMGM):
Total Games won by Alcaraz Over 12.5: 23/20
Total Games won by Munar Over 6.5: 7/10
Total Sets Over 2.5: 19/5
Total Sets Under 2.5: 2/11
(All Odds According to BetMGM: BetMGM offers exclusive promo codes, bonus deals and accurate odds for users upon signing up. Use BetMGM to ace your betting game in all sports!)
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