Top seed Carlos Alcaraz entered the second spherical of the Rio Open on Wednesday along with his thoughts already set on a year-long contest with Novak Djokovic for the No. 1 rating.
The 19-year-old defending champion sealed a 6-4, 6-4 win over Matias Alves after closing out the final two video games of a rain-suspended match the day past.
Alcaraz will now play Fabio Fognini, who beat Tomas Barrios Vera 6-2, 6-3 within the clay courtroom event.
The Spanish teenager was sidelined for 4 months with a leg muscle harm and returned to the tour final week on the Argentina Open, the place she gained just one title for her first title since her Grand Slam success on the US Open final yr. set was misplaced.
Alcaraz, who grew to become the primary teenage year-end No. 1 in ATP historical past in 2021, is at present No. 2 within the rankings. He stated he doesn’t really feel stress to topple Djokovic, however has set 2023 as an necessary aim.
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) February 23, 2023
“The reality is a stupendous yr is ready to be seen with lovely tournaments. It is true that there might be little stress to defend necessary titles. I’ve to play at a superb degree however, as I all the time say, I’m going into each match with the mindset that I’ve to take pleasure in it greater than the outcomes. “I’ve to attempt to win extra Grand Slam titles, reclaim the No. 1 place. That’s what I’m hoping for this yr.”
The frontrunner on tour has titles to defend in Rio, Miami, Barcelona, ​​Madrid and New York on the season’s final main.
Alcaraz has at instances struggled in opposition to Alves, who’s the No. 556 ranked Brazilian. He wanted about two hours of play to win, saying he solely watched movies of his 22-year-old opponent earlier than their match.
“It is not easy to stop after a whole match and have to start again the next day,” Alcaraz stated. “I believe I’m doing properly after 4 months out with an harm. I had a terrific week in Argentina and I come right here with lots of confidence.
Last yr’s runner-up Diego Schwartzman was defeated by Serbian participant Dusan Lajovic 6-1, 6-4. Lajovic will subsequent face compatriot Lazlo Jere.
Fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo beat Roberto Carballes Baena 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 and can subsequent face Bernabe Zapata Miralles.
Home crowd favourite Thomaz Bellucci performed the final match of his skilled profession in opposition to Sebastien Baez, profitable 6–3, 6–2. The 35-year-old Bellucci’s finest rating place was No. 21 in 2010.
Baez’s subsequent opponent might be John Paul Rhodes.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
