BEIJING.- Carlos Alcarazworld number three, started the Beijing Tournament this Friday with a solid victory (double 6-4) against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
With a break at the start, Alcaraz paved his way against the French great server, 21 years old and 51st player in the ATP, who wasted three balls to tie 5-5 at the end of the first set.
The Spaniard, this year’s winner of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, repeated the move in the second set, converting his first breaking ball on the Frenchman’s initial serve and advancing without problems towards victory.
“The plan was to put as many scraps as I could on the court. Honestly, it wasn’t easy. I was reaching 230 or 240 (km/h) on each serve. In the second set, at 210 or 215. It’s not easy to play against him “Alcaraz said.
“He is a very powerful player. He has a great serve and good shots from the baseline. I needed to be very focused. That was the plan. Try not to make too many mistakes and play aggressively from the baseline,” he added.
Alcaraz will face the Dutch Tallon Griekspoor (39) in the next round.
Mpetshi Perricard, winner of his first ATP title in April on the clay court in Lyon, reached the second round in Chengdu, his first victory after three initial losses at the US Open, Cincinnati and Montreal.
Results of the day:
Roman Safiullin (RUS) defeated Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 6-3, 6-4
Roberto Bautista (ESP) beats Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) 6-3, 6-4
Andrey Rublev (RUS) beats Pablo Carreño (ESP) 6-0, 4-6, 6-4
Alejandro Davidovich (ESP) beats Zhang Zhizhen (CHN) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
Bu Yunchaokete (CHN) to Shang Juncheng (CHN) 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-4
Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) beats Zizou Bergs (BEL) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
Daniil Medvedev (RUS) beats Gael Monfils (FRA) 6-3, 6-4
Karen Khachanov (RUS) defeats Roberto Carballés (ESP) 6-4, 6-4
Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) to Jakub Mensík (CZE) 7-6 (7/4), 6-1
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) beats Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (FRA) 6-4, 6-4
