Carlos Alcaraz is debuting at the Olympic Games in Paris
The 2nd seed Carlos Alcaraz made a winning debut at the Olympic Games in Paris, joining his biggest rival Novak Djokovic in the second round. Carlos faced the Lebanese player Hady Habib and scored a 6-3, 6-1 victory in an hour and ten minutes on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
The Spaniard saved four break points in two challenging games, keeping the pressure on the other side and turning half of the return points into four breaks from 13 opportunities. Ranked outside the top-250, Habib made a reliable start and earned a break chance in the first game of the encounter from 0-40 after Alcaraz’s loose forehand.
Hady wasted it, and Carlos held with an ace, avoiding an early setback. Habib missed a smash in the second game, dropping serve and falling 2-0 behind. World no. 2 produced a fine hold in the third game and created more chances on the return in the next one.
The Lebanese denied them and held with a forced error, adding his name to the scoreboard.
Carlos Alcaraz lost four games against Hady Habib in the first round in Paris.
The Spaniard held at love for 4-1 and painted a backhand crosscourt winner in the next one for another fine hold and a 5-2 lead.
Habib served to extend the set in game eight, bringing it home after a deuce and prolonging the action with an ace down the T line. Carlos served for the opener at 5-3 and caused the rival’s mistake for three set points. World no.
2 converted the first with a forehand drive-volley winner, wrapping up the first part of the duel and gaining a boost. Hady netted a backhand in the first game of the second set, losing serve and falling a set and a break behind.
The Spaniard held at love in the second game and created another break chance in the next one with a volley winner at the net.
Carlos missed a routine forehand, allowing his rival to bring the game home and reduce the deficit.
Alcaraz struggled in the fourth game, facing three break points. The Spaniard denied them with a service winner and two forced mistakes, holding with a fine attack and moving 3-1 in front. Hady denied two break points in the fifth game before Carlos seized the third with a forehand down the line winner, opening a 4-1 gap and moving closer to the finish line.
Alcaraz closed the sixth game with a service winner and made another push on the return at 5-1. The Spaniard missed two match points before converting the third with a backhand down the line winner, sealing the deal in style and moving into the second round.
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