Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his Madrid Open title defense in style, securing a convincing victory over Alexander Shevchenko. The world number three, Alcaraz, 20, dominated the match with a commanding 6-2, 6-1 triumph against Kazakhstan’s Shevchenko. Despite wearing a compression sleeve on his right forearm due to a recent injury, Alcaraz displayed no signs of discomfort as he showcased his prowess on the clay court.
Following his victory, Alcaraz expressed some concerns about his forehand but remained optimistic about his competitiveness in the tournament. Despite not feeling “100%” with his forehand, he acknowledged the importance of maintaining a high level of play at this stage. Alcaraz is set to face Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild in the third round, eager to continue his quest for success in the tournament.
In other men’s singles action, Britain’s Jack Draper faced a tough defeat at the hands of Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, succumbing to a 6-1, 7-5 loss. Meanwhile, seventh seed Andrey Rublev advanced to the third round with a straight-set victory, and fourth seed Alexander Zverev cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 win over Borna Coric. Denmark’s Holger Rune also secured a spot in the next round with a victory over Mariano Navone.
Turning to the women’s draw, Britain’s Katie Boulter faced a three-set defeat against American wildcard Robin Montgomery, while two-time Grand Slam champion Aryna Sabalenka battled to a hard-fought victory over Poland’s Magda Linette. Kazakhstan’s former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina continued her impressive form with a straight-set win against Italian Lucia Bronzetti, maintaining her momentum from last week’s Stuttgart title.
