Alcaraz holds off battling Aussie qualifier

Carlos Alcaraz subdued a second-set attack from an inspired qualifier on Tuesday to advance into the second round of the US Open 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 over Li Tu.

The Aussie hopeful aged 28 and ranked 186th was playing a Top 50 opponent for the first time as he made his New York debut. He put up a fight at the end, saving two match points in the penultimate game.

The Spaniard closed out the opener a game later on his next chance. 

“This is an electric court and an electric crowd,” Alcaraz said. “My opponent surprised me a little bit with how well he played,

“I could tell he was nervous in the first set, but in the second he started to enjoy playing. I’m sure I will be seeing more of him in the future.”

Alcaraz came to the final major of the season without much to boast about after losing his opener this month in Cincinnati to Gael Monfils. he also had an ankle scare at the weekend during training.

The Spaniard’s move into the second round marked the 60th match win of his career at a Slam and gives the four-time Grand Slam champion a 17-2 career record here.

Alcaraz led by a set and a break when Tu came alive to square the match on his fifth set point in the second.

But the challenger was unable to hold off the third seed and 2022 New York winner, with Alcaraz grabbing the third set and marching through the fourth as Tu faded under the pressure.

Alcaraz is hoping to become the third man in the Open era to win Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year after Rod Laver in 1969 and Rafael Nadal in 2010.

Former champion Daniil Medvedev put aside his opening losses on hardcourt this month in Montreal and Cincinnati, with the fifth seed defeating Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in two and a half hours.

Italian Mattia Bellucci beat 39-year-old Swiss Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 titleholder, 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

In the women’s draw, 2021 tournament winner Emma Raducanu fell 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 to the Australian Open champion from five years ago, Sofia Kenin.

Raducanu,ranked 72nd, paid the price for playing only one hard-court event in late July while rejecting chances to compete in qualifying for the Masters pair in Toronto and Cincinnati.

Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz won first round match – by Mark Greenwood, International Sports Fotos Ltd