Carlos Alcaraz returned with victory in Australia after a two-year wait. The Spaniard missed last year's race due to injury. Today he outplayed veteran Richard Gasquet 7-6(5), 6:1, 6:2 at the start in Melbourne.
The 37-year-old Frenchman offered serious resistance in the first part, but subsequently the physical condition of the former top 10 did not allow him to be equal to Alcaraz. In doing so, the two-time Grand Slam champion became the latest tennis player to stamp his ticket to the second round of the Australian Open, where he will face Lorenzo Sonego, who overcame Dan Evans 4-6, 7-6(8 ), 6-2, 7-6(4).
Gasquet, who played his first professional tennis match before his today's opponent was born, gave it his all and showed his undoubted qualities in the first set when he took things to a tiebreak. A set in which the 37-year-old Frenchman did not concede anything to the world No. 2, but in the end a double fault in the tiebreak played a bad joke on him and gave Alcaraz a chance to win it 7:5.
It was as if this was the turning point in the match, because Gasquet himself realized that he would not have the strength to win three consecutive sets in the terrible Australian heat.
Although the match was from the evening session, the thermometers still showed 30 degrees, and Gasquet did not have the strength to resist in the remaining two sets. Alcaraz won them 6:1, 6:2 and deservedly advanced to the second round. /BGNES
