Alcaraz dismantles Gasquet but says he needs to ‘get used to competition again’
The 20-year-old Spaniard had a brilliant start to the Australian Open by comfortably defeating the veteran Gasquet.
He was considered one of the main attractions before the start of the Australian Open, and he has proven why. After a few weeks out of official competitions, Carlos Alcaraz has played his first match in Melbourne with a clear straight-sets victory over Richard Gasquet.
The two-time major champion missed last year’s edition due to injury, so there was a lot of expectation surrounding Carlitos’ opening game in the first Grand Slam event of the year.
Alcaraz, who is looking to win more majors this year, had little trouble defeating the French player. However, the current world No. 2 had to dig deep to win the first set, as won a tight tie-break after 1h 13′.
Things got better for the Spaniard from the end of that first set on, losing only three games to win the match and advance to the next round.
Alcaraz says he needs more competition
Although he recorded a good performance at the Rod Laver Arena, the Murcia native admitted that he needs to get used to the competition rhythm to find his best version.
“I need to get used to the competition again. And it’s not easy to start a tournament, it’s a bit more complicated if I haven’t played since two months ago”, he said.
Alcaraz probably felt rusty at the beginning of the game, but after he felt more familiar with the conditions, he ended up dismantling his opponent.
“The first set was difficult for me, but every set I played better and better until the last set, and I ended the match playing at a good level”.
In the following sets, a more comfortable and confident Alcaraz connected some remarkable shots. In the post-game interview, he also stated that he wanted to entertain the public.
“I always say that making unbelievable shots like drop shots, volleys… I’m playing for myself, but I always try to make people enjoy watching tennis and watching my game. It’s another way to do it, hitting some shots that maybe some don’t expect. Sometimes I don’t see the score, and I try to make the impossible for the crowd”, added Alcaraz, who will play against Lorenzo Sonego in the next round.