World number one Carlos Alcaraz overcame a challenging test in his return to action Tuesday, battling past France’s Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 7-6 (5) in the opening round of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha.
The Spanish superstar was making his first appearance since achieving tennis’s ultimate milestone – completing the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open. Rinderknech pushed Alcaraz to the brink in the second set, earning two opportunities to level the match before the four-time Grand Slam champion rallied to force a tiebreak and secure the win.
Until those crucial moments late in the second set, Alcaraz had cruised without facing a single break point opportunity for his opponent.
Tuesday’s action saw all seeded players successfully navigate their first-round hurdles. Russia’s fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev dispatched Netherlands’ Jesper De Jong 6-4, 6-3, while seventh-seeded Karen Khachanov, also from Russia, overcame Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka, seeded eighth, dominated American Jenson Brooksby 6-3, 6-3.
Other players advancing included Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics and Fabian Marozsan, France’s Quentin Halys, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, and China’s Zhizhen Zhang.
Delray Beach Open
Defending champion Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia launched his title defense successfully, overwhelming Italy’s Mattia Bellucci 6-1, 6-4 in first-round action at Delray Beach, Florida.
The Serbian dominated on return, capturing 12 of 20 points when Bellucci served his second serve, while maintaining perfect hold of his own service games without facing a break point.
American Brandon Nakashima, seeded seventh, edged past Croatian veteran Marin Cilic in a pair of tiebreakers, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5). Domestic battles saw Sebastian Korda eliminate Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 7-5, and qualifier Zachary Svajda defeat Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (4), 6-3. Spain’s Rafael Jodar and Adam Walton also recorded straight-set victories.
The evening’s final match featured dramatic late-match tension as fifth-seeded Tommy Paul of the United States eventually prevailed over France’s Corentin Moutet 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Paul endured a nerve-wracking finish, squandering 10 consecutive match points in the final set before finally converting his 11th opportunity.
Rio Open
Argentine players dominated the opening day at Rio de Janeiro, with top-seeded Francisco Cerundolo, eighth-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry, and Roman Andres Burruchaga all claiming victories in all-Argentine encounters.
Cerundolo handled Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4, while Etcheverry rallied past Francisco Comesana 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. In the day’s biggest upset, Burruchaga stunned fifth-seeded Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-3, 6-4.
The tournament saw additional seeded casualties as Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo shocked second-seeded Italian Luciano Darderi 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, and Portugal’s Jaime Faria eliminated fourth-seeded Argentine Sebastian Baez 7-5, 6-1.
Brazil’s third-seeded Joao Fonseca, Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur, and Lithuania’s Vilius Gaubas also secured opening-round wins.
