World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz came up with another emphatic show as he defeated a spirited Lorenzo Sonego in the men’s singles second round of Australian Open 2024. Alcaraz matched his best run at Australian Open as he stormed into the 3rd round after an entertaining match in which he left the crowd and his senior opponent in woe with the brand of tennis he played.
Carlos Alcaraz revealed earlier in the week that he, sometimes, plays shots to thrill the crowd regardless of the match situation and there were plenty of them on Thursday’s encounter at the Rod Laver Arena. Alcaraz dropped the second set, but he got the job done 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 to set up a clash with Chinese wildcard Shang Juncheng, who ousted India’s top-ranked singles player Sumit Nagal earlier in the day.
In his 200th match on the tour, Carlos Alcaraz has equalled Andy Roddick for the most Grand Slam match wins on hard court, among male Under-21 players in the Open Era – 21. The Spaniard, a 2-time Grand Slam champion, showcased incredible grit to fend off Sonego, who found a new lease of life after winning the second-set tie-breaker.
Carlos Alcaraz spoke about the conditions being tricky due to the wind at the Rod Laver Arena, but nothing stopped the young man from putting on a show for the crowd.
One particular moment that stood out was an ‘around-the-net’ shot that Alcaraz executed with remarkable precision. During a crucial point in the fourth set set, on Sonego’s serve, Alcaraz responded to a lob from Sonego with a breathtaking display of agility. He sprinted across the court and, at full stretch, whipped a backhand down the line, sliding to reach the ball and sending it around the net post for a winner.
“I am really happy with my performance. Both of us played at such a great level. High intensity. The match was tricky with the wind and sun. Today was tough to play your best… Even though I lost the second set, I think I played a good game. We put on a show. Both of us made good points,” Alcaraz said. \
Alcaraz, who had previously admitted to needing time to “get used to competition again” after his first-round win over Richard Gasquet, showed no signs of rust against the formidable Italian. The young Spaniard, playing in Melbourne for the first time since becoming a Grand Slam champion, has laid down an early marker as he continued his bid to win the Australian Open for the first time.
