CALIFORNIA: Young Spanish tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz started his Indian Wells Open title defence with a come-from-behind win over Matteo Arnaldi on Saturday
After losing a closely fought and entertaining first set, Alcaraz went undefeated for nine successive games to secure a 6-7(5), 6-0, 6-1 victory.
With this victory, Alcaraz is 18-2 in his first-round matches this year and will be playing Felix Auger-Aliassime in the next round on Sunday.
Following his win, Alcaraz was quoted as saying by ATP, “I had to change just a few things. I made a few mistakes in the first set… I had to put in more first serves in the second and third set, and I think that was a big key to improving my level a little bit, to be in the rallies — long rallies as well, to get the rhythm, and I am really happy to get it at the end.”
Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner also beat Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-0 in the second round and earned his ticket to round three.
Earlier on Friday, home favourite Ben Shelton secured a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win against the Czech Republic’s Jakub Mensik. It is his fourth attempt, in which he landed his first win against a youngster. Shelton’s next challenger for a place in pre-quarters is 22nd-seed Francisco Cerundolo.
Also on Friday, Andrey Rublev survived some early scares from British tennis star Andy Murray before using his massive forehand to secure an opening-round win by 7-6(3), 6-1. Rublev has an upper hand of 2-1 against the British tennis icon in their head-to-head battles.
Also, sixth-seeded Alexander Zverev secured his spot in the third round following a win over Australia’s Christopher O’Connell 6-4, 6-4 in a match that lasted nearly two hours and saw Zverev hit 27 winners as well.
Coming to the women’s singles competition, the world number 131 ranked Katie Volynets produced a massive upset as she eliminated the world number six Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4 during the second round of the tournament, as per the WTA. Her next opponent will be former world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the third round.
Iga Swiatek, the world’s top-ranked women’s tennis star, also secured an easy win over Danielle Collins by 6-3, 6-0 in round two.
Caroline Wozniacki’s comeback to the BNP Paribas Open is headed into the weekend after the former World No.1 and 2011 Indian Wells champion toppled No.25 seed Donna Vekic 7-6(5), 6-3 in Friday’s second round. (ANI)