Carlos Alcaraz continues his path at the US Open, after debuting with victory in the opening match against Argentine Sebastián Báez. It was a tough match for both, physically very demanding. The number 37 in the ATP ranking could not withstand the first two sets, both without reward (7-5, 7-5) and ended up retiring after two games of the third. The Argentine thing is for the moment for the Murcian, who will now face each other in the second round against Báez's compatriot, Federico Coria, number 78 in the world.
Spanish and Argentine will meet at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the tournament's center court, this Thursday, September 1. They will play in the second round, following the women's match between Iga Swiatek and Sloane Stephens, which starts at 6:00 p.m. (Spanish time). The estimated time for the Alcaraz match is 7:15 p.m., but it all depends on the duration of the previous match. This US Open second round duel can be seen live on Eurosport. You can also follow minute by minute on the La Vanguardia website.
The number four in the ATP ranking wants to shake off the bad taste in his mouth of the summer tournaments. He lost two finals (Umag and Hamburg), fell in the first round of the Canadian Masters 1,000 and in the Cincinnati quarterfinals. In recent months he has talked a lot about his problems in handling pressure and performing at his highest level in these situations, something totally normal in a player who is not even 20 years old yet and who has experienced such an explosion and rise dazzling. At the US Open he will try to recover and continue to mature and settle at the top of the individual ranking.
In the first round, he passed a very demanding exam against Sebastián Báez. In the stifling heat, he was forced to work every point, game and set to exhaustion. Perfectly choosing his climbs to the net and very precise in his drops, he was surprised on several occasions by the spectacular lobs of his rival. Despite the equality, the meeting opted for the side of El Palmar thanks to his physical endurance. The double 7-5 was a hard blow for the Argentine, both physically and emotionally, and his cramps put the finishing touch to the match before time, after two games in the last round.
Opposite will be another Argentine, Federico Coria. At 30 years old, he occupies position 78 in the ATP ranking. In their first-round matchup at the US Open, he defeated Tallon Griekspoor (7-5, 6-4, 6-3). The Dutchman, number 46 in the world, also demanded a lot from his rival. Despite Coria's superiority in his US Open debut, the Argentine knows how difficult his next challenge is. "Alcaraz has had an incredible evolution, I will need a miracle to beat him," he declared. The Murcian is the only player who has been present in the last eight majors and who has managed to win at least one round in each of them.
