Carlos Alcaraz cruises past Alexander Shevchenko in Madrid despite ‘not feeling comfortable’ on return from injury
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Updated 26/04/2024 at 20:23 GMT
Carlos Alcaraz beat Alexander Shevchenko 6-2 6-1 to reach the last 32 of the Madrid Open despite "not feeling comfortable" on his return from injury. The Spaniard admitted he had to take pace off his forehand after a recent right arm injury but was pleased with his performance. The No. 2 seed needed just over an hour to move into the next round, where he will face Brazil's Thiago Seyboth Wild.
Highlights: Alcaraz cruises past Shevchenko to make Madrid Open last 32
Carlos Alcaraz admitted he was still “not feeling comfortable” with the right forearm injury that forced him to withdraw from the Monte Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open after he dominated Alexander Shevchenko to move into the last 32 of the Madrid Open.
The 20-year-old had his right arm strapped when he stepped on court to begin his title defence in the Spanish capital and needed little more than an hour to wrap up a 6-2 6-1 victory.
Alcaraz will face Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild as he continues his preparation for next month’s French Open.
“The last month I just practised slices, volleys and backhands so I think it worked pretty well today,” Alcaraz said afterwards.
“That’s something that I was thinking about approaching this match, trying to hit the forehand really softer and trying to be aggressive with the backhand and trying to get to the net as soon as possible and I think I did a really good match in that part.”
The No. 2 seed made the perfect start, breaking his opponent in the first game of the match before racing into a 4-1 lead.
Shevchenko threatened to get back into the opener when he broke back for 4-2, but Alcaraz quickly extinguished those hopes with another break before he held to seal the first set.
The second followed a similar pattern. Again Alcaraz moved a double break up before Shevchenko responded, but the Spaniard proved far too good in the end.
An exquisite drop shot on the stretch earned Alcaraz a match point on his opponent’s serve and his progress was sealed when Shevchenko fired long.
Despite being unable to hit his forehand at its usual ferocity, Alcaraz still hit 24 winners and clinically converted seven of 11 break points.
Asked if his right arm was still bothering him, he added: “Not at all, but I’m thinking about it. It’s not going to leave my mind I think. This Monday was the first [proper] practice I did in a while.
“Coming into this week I’ve been doing good things in practice, getting harder let’s say, but today I’m not feeling comfortable playing my forehand 100%.
“I think playing at this level, I’m really happy to do it and I think I can [still] be competitive.”
Draper downed by Hurkacz
Elsewhere, Britain’s Jack Draper was beaten in straight sets by Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz.
Hurkacz, the No. 8 seed, broke Draper twice in a dominant first set before pouncing at the end of a tight second to seal a 6-1 7-5 victory and set up a clash with Germany’s Daniel Altmaier in the next round.
It was the second time in quick succession the pair have locked horns, with Hurkacz also getting the better of Draper in Monte Carlo.
But while that contest went all the way to a deciding tie-break, the meeting in Madrid was far more one-sided.
The Pole produced the more accurate and powerful groundstrokes as he raced into a 5-0 lead in the opener before Draper finally got on the board to avoid the bagel.
But Hurkacz wrapped up a convincing first set with a simple one-two, smashing into the open court after a pinpoint serve out wide.
The second set was a much tighter affair and went with serve until 5-5 but a costly double fault from Draper handed Hurkacz a break and he held comfortably to book his spot in the last 32.
Rune survives scare to come through thriller
Holger Rune was forced to dig deep but eventually prevailed in a marathon contest against Mariano Navone.
Navone, the world No. 41, came within two points of pulling off an upset when he served for a straight-sets win, but Rune recovered to complete a 5-7 7-6(2) 6-4 victory in three hours.
The No. 11 seed will take on Tallon Griekspoor next.
The first set swung back and forth, symptomatic of what was to come. Navone broke in the first and fifth games but was pegged back both times before he secured a crucial break to move 6-5 ahead and then served out the opener to love.
It went with serve in the second set until Navone broke to serve for the match at 6-5, but Rune reeled off three points in a row from 30-15 down to force a tie-break.
Riding the momentum, the Dane won seven of nine points to take the contest to a decider, but there was more drama to come.
After passing up a match point at 5-1 up, it was Rune’s turn to be broken when serving for victory.
Navone then had an opportunity to rescue both breaks and make it 5-5 but he couldn’t convert as Rune eventually got over the line in a thriller.
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