The Spaniards Carlos Alcaraz and Paula Badosa started the Indian Wells tournament with force this Saturday, in a day that also recorded the victories of the Polish Iga Swiatek, number one in the WTA ranking, and the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and the Italian Jannik Sinner , in the ATP circuit.
In his return after the hamstring injury that cost him the final of the Rio tournament, Alcaraz, first favorite in the Californian desert, beat Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-3.
The Murcian, winner of the US Open and the 1,000 Masters in Miami and Madrid last year, started a tournament shining that could restore him to first place in the world ranking. To achieve it, Alcaraz, a semifinalist last year, needs to be crowned champion.
He is the first favorite in Indian Wells due to the loss of the Serbian Novak Djokovic, who could not enter the United States due to his refusal to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Alcaraz will face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, number 36 in the world, in the third round, who eliminated Argentine Guido Pella this Saturday in two sets decided in the tiebreaker. On the horizon, the Murcian has an appointment against a British veteran like Andy Murray or the young talent Jack Draper.
Also a good start for Badosa, champion of this tournament in 2021, who beat her compatriot Nuria Párrizas 6-2, 7-5. Badosa, world number 22 and Indian Wells champion in 2021, needed one hour and 38 minutes to defeat Párrizas (n.88) in the first match between the two on the WTA circuit.
The two Spanish players had only met once before, ten years ago in Sant Jordi, when Badosa also triumphed in two sets (7-5 and 7-5).
In the next round, Badosa will face Kazakh Elena Rybakina, with whom she has a positive record of four victories in five matches.
Spanish tennis lost Pablo Carreño this Saturday, who withdrew from the tournament before his match against Andy Murray, and Pedro Martínez, who could not beat Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime (7-6(5) and 6-4).
