Carlos Alcaraz faces the Chinese Juncheng Shang this Sunday in the third round match of the Australian Open, the first major of the season, after beating the Italian Lorenzo Sonego in his 200th ATP match 6-4, 6-7, 6 -3 and 7-6 in three hours and 24 minutes.
The Murcian will face the Asian, only 18 years old, who beat the Indian Sumit Nagal in the second round (2-6, 6-3, 7-5 and 6-4) and who is being one of the great surprises of the competition. In fact, it will be the first time in his career that he plays a third round in a major.
The 18-year-old began playing ATP-ranked competitions last year, at just 17 years old, when he lost that second round of the Australian Open against the American Frances Tiafoe and obtained his best result in the Chicago tournament after falling in semi-finals against Alex Michelsen.
It will be an unprecedented duel between the only Chinese representative in the draw and the only Spaniard present in the third round. But the Murcian does not want surprises. "We are going to try to eat him and not think about the fact that he is younger than me," he explained at a press conference.
The third round match of the Australian Open between Shang and Alcaraz will be played on Sunday, January 21, starting at 3:45 a.m. Spanish time (1:45 p.m. Saturday local Australian time). The match can be seen on television on Eurosport and can also be followed live through the La Vanguardia website.
