At Roland-Garros, the world No. 154 defeated Russian Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5) and will now face Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Follow Us
Camilo Ugo Carabelli of Argentina made history at the French Open on Sunday, winning the tournament’s first-ever deciding set-tiebreak. At Roland-Garros, the world No. 154 defeated Russian Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5) and will now face Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. For the first time this year, all four Grand Slams are employing the 10-point final-set tiebreak at 6-6, and it’s the first time the French Open has ever utilised the tiebreak to settle matches. Carabelli had no idea what was going on when the score was 6-6 in the fifth.
“No, I ask the referee when I won my game on serve, I asked him if it was 10 points, seven, I didn’t know nothing. I didn’t read nothing – a lot of mail about Roland-Garros, I didn’t read anything. But I like it. I thought it was a bit long, but no, I like it,” he said. The 22-year-old Argentinian had previously won qualifying matches against Yuichi Sugita (6-4, 6-4), Ernesto Escobedo (4-1 ret.) and Alexander Ritschard (7-6, 6-2).
Read More – Barbora Krejcikova not expecting much from Paris
On Sunday, Spanish tennis phenomenon Carlos Alcaraz defeated Argentine lucky loser Juan Ignacio Londero 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 to start his French Open campaign in style. The 19-year-old sixth seed needed just one set to acclimate to the massive Court Philippe Chatrier and set up a match with fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas. The teenager, who reached the third round as a qualifier in Paris last year, has dominated the tennis world this season with four titles and is one of the title favourites at the French Open. When things grew heated in the 10th game of the first set, Alcaraz exhibited indications of irritation, but he took advantage of his first opportunity when Londero missed a straightforward backhand.
Londero’s wayward forehand gave Alcaraz a 4-2 lead in the second set. His devastating forehand continued to wreck Londero, who misfired again on set point, giving Alcaraz the decisive advantage. As the sun fell on the French city, the third set was a one-sided affair that lasted only half an hour. “This tournament is very special, I’ve been watching it since I was a kid. It took me a little while to find my range and to get used to the size of the court,” the Spanish teenager said.
Read More – Roger Federer to make comeback in September, says agent
Alexander Zverev’s Roland Garros campaign got off to a comfortable start on Sunday in Paris, as the third seed defeated Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round. The World No. 218 was playing his first tour-level main draw match since the ATP 250 event in Los Cabos last July, and the third seed’s high-powered serving and strong groundstrokes were too much for him. Zverev’s performance on Court Suzanne Lenglen was solid rather than sensational, but it was enough to seal a one-hour, 49-minute victory. The German increased his clay-court Grand Slam match record to 19-6.
“[I’m] very happy,” said Zverev in his on-court interview. “Usually I start a Grand Slam tournament with a five-set match and a few hours on court, but Sergi (Zverev’s coach Sergi Bruguera) told me today not to do that so I listened to him for once! I’m happy with the match, especially against Sebastian who already played three matches here. He’s playing very well, so I’m happy with the start here.”
