The 18-year-old Spaniard stunned Tsitsipas in a five-set thriller at last year’s US Open and proved too strong again for the Greek, triumphing 7-5, 6-3 at the Hard Rock Stadium in the American city.

Fuelled by the defeat to Alcaraz in New York City last September, Tsitsipas came out firing as he burst into a 5-2 lead.

But Alcaraz responded superbly as he won the next seven games to take the opening set and secured a break at the start of the second.

Tsitsipas created break point opportunities but Alcaraz held firm to seal his place into the last eight of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Masters 1000 event.

The teenager is next due to face Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanović, who reached his fourth successive quarter-final with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Indian Wells Masters champion Taylor Fritz of the United States.

Russia's Daniil Medvedev, who is playing as a neutral, moved to within one win of reclaiming the world number one spot after seeing off American Jenson Brooksby 7-5, 6-1.

Medvedev was knocked off top spot by Serbia’s 20-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic two weeks ago but now faces reigning champion Hubert Hurkacz of Poland knowing that a victory will take him back to the summit.

Djokovic is missing this tournament as he is not able to enter the US due to not being vaccinated against COVID-19. 

Hurkacz continued his title defence with a 7-6, 6-3 triumph against South Africa’s Lloyd Harris to set up a quarter-final meeting with Medvedev.

Second seed Alexander Zverev ended Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis’ run with a solid 6-4, 6-4 success in one hour and 32 minutes.

Germany’s Olympic champion is now set to take on Norway’s Casper Ruud, who was equally impressive in his 6-3, 6-4 win over British 10th seed Cameron Norrie.

Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo produced one of the performances of the day to overcome American Francas Tiafoe with a 6-7, 7-6, 6-2 triumph.

Cerundolo is making his ATP Masters 1000 debut in Miami and will hope to continue his run as is now scheduled to tackle 20-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner,

He defeated an in-form Nick Kyrgios of Australia in an action-packed match.

Kyrgios received a game penalty for smashing his racket and berated umpire Carlos Bernardes as he suffered a 7-6, 6-3 defeat to ninth seed Sinner.

There were two matches played in the women’s singles as Japan’s four-time major winner Naomi Osaka and Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic of Switzerland advanced to the semi-final of the Women’s Tennis Association 1000 tournament.

Osaka thumped Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins of the US 6-2, 6-1 to secure a semi-final clash with Bencic, who clinched an emphatic 6-1, 6-2 victory over Australian wildcard Daria Saville.

Competition is due to continue tomorrow.