Carlos Alcaraz had to fight his way out of a second-set slump on Sunday to escape with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Damir Dzumhur in his opening match at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open.<\/p>\n
The Spaniard, playing his first tournament since a runner-up finish to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon, raced through the first set but completely lost his way in the second, dropping his serve twice against the 33-year-old Bosnian.<\/p>\n
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But he regained his intensity — and cut down his errors, in the third. Alcaraz fired his seventh ace to set up a match point and advanced to the third round seconds later as his opponent fired wide.<\/p>\n
Alcaraz, seeded second, claimed his 12th consecutive match at the Masters 1000 level after titles in Monte Carlo and Rome.<\/p>\n
“It was a relief to get this win,” Alcaraz said after committing 44 unforced errors. “It was a rollercoaster of good feelings and bad feelings.<\/p>\n
“I was happy to get the win in the end. I know that I have chances to do better. “I will use the day off tomorrow to get my confidence back. It was a little tricky, I need to play smart tennis.”<\/p>\n
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Alcaraz, runner-up in Cincy in 2023, next faces Serb Hamad Medjedovic, a 6-4, 7-6 (7\/3) winner over Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.<\/p>\n
American Ben Shelton, coming off his first Masters 1000 title in Toronto, eased through his opener 6-3, 3-1 as opponent Camilo Ugo Carabelli was unable to continue because of a right knee problem.<\/p>\n
The Argentine who beat Kei Nishikori in the first round, pulled up short after the first point of the third game of the second set, gripping his knee.<\/p>\n
With a tournament supervisor translating from Spanish, the South American then took a medical time out. Once back, he only lasted three more points.<\/p>\n
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Shelton had less than an hour on court, something of a favor after a draining Toronto tournament\u00a0which\u00a0only ended on Thursday.<\/p>\n
“It’s not easy to play a couple of days after winning any title,” he said. “I feel for Camilo. I hope he has a quick recovery.<\/p>\n
“I wanted to compete and be a warrior this week – see what I could do,” said Shelton, adding when asked about tape on his right thigh that he has “a few muscle things.<\/p>\n
“The legs take a lot of the force,” he said.<\/p>\n
Sixth seed Alex de Minaur, the Washington champion and a Toronto quarter-finalist last week, was bounced by American Reilly Opelka 7-6 (8\/6), 6-4, who crushed 14 aces and saved all seven break points he faced.<\/p>\n
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Australian Adam Walton upset slumping former number one and 2019 Cincy champion Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (0\/7), 6-4, 6-1 for the first top 50 win of his career.<\/p>\n
Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut dismissed Briton Cam Norrie 6-4, 6-3 while number nine seed Andrey Rublev beat American Learner Tien 7-6 (7\/4), 6-3.<\/p>\n
– Gauff fights through –<\/p>\n
In women’s action, second-seeded French Open champion Coco Gauff battled through a tough first set to beat China’s Wang Xinyu 6-3, 6-2.<\/p>\n
Gauff, who lifted the trophy in Cincinnati in 2023 and went on to claim her first Grand Slam title at the US Open that year, grinded through a first set marred by five service breaks.<\/p>\n
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But she steadied in the second set to run out the winner in 71 minutes on a first match point.<\/p>\n
“It was a rough start,” Gauff said. “But it was about just trusting myself and the work we’ve done in practice. “I was able to let it all go in the second set.”<\/p>\n
Third seed Jessica Pegula, runner-up last year to Aryna Sabalenka, defeated Kimberly Birrell 6-4, 6-3.<\/p>\n
Seventh seed Jasmine Paolini, finalist last season at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, needed her last-chance match point to cement a 7-6 (7\/2), 7-6 (7\/5) win over Greek Maria Sakkari.<\/p>\n
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