(Miami) Five days after his victory in Indian Wells, world number one Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his title defense with a bang in Miami on Friday, Caroline Garcia (4H) and Ons Jaber (5H) did not avoid the pitfall of elimination as soon as they entered the race.
Two games were conceded in barely 64 minutes on the field. Suffice it to say that the tenacity of the 19-year-old Spaniard is due to his passion for eliminating without a care (6-0, 6-2), Argentine Facundo Banez (100).H).
“Starting a new tournament is not easy, the conditions are different. I had to be ready. I was really focused on the game from the start and I’m happy with the way I played,” commented Alcaraz, looking for the “Sunshine Double” (the Indian Wells/Miami double) since His landslide victory last Sunday in California. Sahara at the expense of Daniel Medvedev.
Facing this opponent, whom he had already defeated for the first time in Umag (Croatia), in 2021, on the way to his first title on the ATP circuit, the Murcia prodigy was already on his feet, winning the title. The first 11 points of the match. Also aided by his opponent’s unforced errors (12 in this round), he managed three straight breaks to make the “doughnut”.
False calm, Rublev upset
At the beginning of the second set, he again served Bagnis, but he suddenly relaxed on his own, and the Argentine managed to break (2-2). A start that had the effect of a brief reprieve, as Alcaraz quickly tightened the screws to align the next four games.
The Spaniard, who will retain his title in Miami to remain on the throne of the world at the end of the tournament, will face Serbian Dusan Lajovic (76) in the next round.H).
Earlier, Jannik Sinner (11H), who lost in the first half at Indian Wells at the hands of Alcaraz, also had a quiet start, with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over another Serbian, Laslo Djerje (58).H).
The 21-year-old Italian accelerated after breaking at 4-3 in the first set, winning the next six matches to come away, before finishing in 1:23. He will face Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (27).H).
Andrey Rublev, has a more difficult time dismissing 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 American JJ Wolf (50H). The 25-year-old Russian will face Serb Miomir Kecmanovic (35), who reached the semi-finals of the event in 2021.H).
American Taylor Fritz (10H) and Canadian Denis Shapovalov (30H) arranged to meet at 3H circular.
Today’s surprise was made by Japanese Taro Daniel (97H) who corrected 6-0 and 6-4 German Alexander Zverev (15H).
Sabalenka drags the man
PHOTO GEOFF BURKE, USA Today Sports
Arina Sabalenka
Among the women, three are members summit 10 took the front door.
Caroline Garcia (4H) fell strongly 6-2, 6-3 to Romanian Sorana Cirstea (74H), who had already eliminated her, in the round of 16 at Indian Wells. The Frenchwoman, who still plays offensively, made plenty of unforced errors to be competitive.
Anas Jaber (5H), who is back in competition after knee surgery, still looks a long way from the level she was last year, when she reached the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open. The Tunisian lost, 6-2, 6-2, at the hands of the Russian Varvara Gracheva (54H) resulting from qualifications.
Maria Sakkari, a semi-finalist in Indian Wells, also gave up, after an even fiercer fight, losing 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, against Bianca Andreescu (31H). The 27-year-old Greek also struggled with her serve (six double faults) and her nerve, occasionally complaining to the umpire about how long the Canadian, the 2019 US Open winner, was taking to serve.
On the other hand, Aryna Sabalenka (2H), who reached the finals on Sunday in Indian Wells, kept her rank against the American Shelby Rogers, and won 6-4, 6-3, without the need to request a medical timeout to treat one of her legs.
“We will see how it develops, I hope everything will be fine and I will be ready for the next match” against Czech Mari Bouzkova (36)H), said the winner in Melbourne in January.
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