(Tennis news) Following a first-round bye, Alcaraz faced Ben Shelton in the second round of his quest for his first title. The Spaniard needed to save three break points right away in the first set before holding serve.
Alcaraz then took a break to go 3-1 up and held the lead until the end of the set to win. In the second set, which went to a tie-break, no player came close to a breakpoint. The World No. 1 prevailed, winning the match 6-3, 7-6(3).
Meanwhile, Hurkacz overcame Alexander Bublik in straight sets to advance to the second round, where he faced Miomir Kecmanovic. For the majority of the first set, the two were evenly matched, but it was the Pole who blinked first, as he was broken near the finish to drop the opener.
At the start of the second set, Kecmanovic was able to stay up with Hurkacz, but the latter soon raced away with the match. To win the set, the Pole won the final three games. He didn’t let up after that, serving a bagel in the third set to complete a 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 comeback victory.
Head-to-Head
In the head-to-head, Alcaraz leads Hurkacz 1-0. He defeated him in two tight sets at the Miami Open in 2022.
Predictions
Hurkacz took some time to get going in the previous round, but once he gained control of the match, there was no stopping him. He hit 25 aces and 50 winners in total. Alcaraz, too, required some time to shake off the rust before putting up a strong fight against Shelton.
Their previous clash at the Miami Open last year was a close one. Hurkacz’s massive serving didn’t benefit him in the end, as Alcaraz beat him in two tie-breaks. The World No. 1 is more consistent from the start, and his diversity will keep the Pole on his toes.
Hurkacz did make the final here last year, but he hasn’t been convincing this year. Alcaraz, on the other hand, has been the tour’s undisputed leader. The 20-year-old occasionally struggles against big servers, but considering his problem-solving abilities, he should be able to secure a spot in the final eight.
Carlos Alcaraz to win in 2 sets.
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