PARIS: Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz opened his campaign at the Paris Masters on Tuesday with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Chilean Nicolas Jarry.

After receiving a bye through the first round, Alcaraz took a 3-0 lead in his round-of-32 match but was reigned back in by Jarry, before eventually claiming the first set 7-5.

However, Alcaraz was in commanding form in the second set, giving his Chilean opponent only one game as he raced to victory.

“It’s been two years since I have won a match here in Paris.. so every time that I keep going is a gift for me,” said the 21-year-old Spaniard.

“I’m just really happy to get through the opening set, it was really important for me to come into the second with more confidence. I [need] time to get used to the speed of the court.”

Alcaraz is the heavy favourite to win his first title on the hard court at Bercy Arena after Italian world number one Jannik Sinner withdrew from the tournament earlier on Tuesday due to an intestinal virus.

He will face either Frenchman Ugo Humbert or American Marcos Giron in the round-of-16.

Argentinean Francisco Cerundolo edged Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5) in a two-set match that lasted nearly two hours 20 minutes.

Fresh off winning his first ATP 500 tournament last week in Vienna, Briton Jack Draper beat Czech 22-year-old Jiri Lehecka 7-5, 6-2.

Poland’s 12th seed Hubert Hurkacz was also upset as he succumbed to a 1-6, 3-6 defeat to American Alex Michelsen, with play lasting just over 50 minutes.

Alex de Minaur beat Mariano Navone of Argentina 7-5, 6-1 to keep alive his chances of reaching the ATP Finals next month.

Also still in the hunt for Turin is Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, who eased into the round-of-16 with a 6-3, 6-4 win over of Alejandro Tabilo of Chile.

Holger Rune enjoyed a regulation 6-4, 6-4 win over Matteo Arnaldi, while Ben Shelton of the US fought through in three sets against hometown hope Corentin Moutet.

In another France-against-US battle, 21-year-old French wildcard Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard beat Frances Tiafoe 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

France’s Richard Gasquet, who earlier in October announced his retirement from tennis after next year’s French Open, bowed out of the Paris Masters with a 3-6, 4-6 loss to Belgian Zizou Bergs.

Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud had led 5-1 in the first set but capitulated to lose to Australian Jordan Thompson 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 4-6.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2024