The Spanish Carlos Alcaraz advanced this Monday to the round of 16 of the Rio de Janeiro Open by defeating his compatriot Jaume Munar by 2-6, 6-2 and 6-1. Alcaraz achieved a vigorous comeback today after losing in the first set in an intense match lasting two hours and 15 minutes. The Murcian tennis player, 18 years old and number 29 in the ATP classification, fulfilled his promise to “do great things” in Rio de Janeiro by eliminating the Majorcan (89 ATP), 24, and who in April last year, in the only confrontation between the two until yesterday, it prevented him from reaching the final of the ATP 250 in Marbella.
Alcaraz, who two years ago played the Rio Open thanks to a special invitation due to his promising status and won his first victory in an ATP tournament in this Brazilian city, advanced to the round of 16, where he will face the winner of the owner between Argentine Federico Delbonis (37 ATP) and Colombian Daniel Galán (112 ATP). In case of advancing in the round of 16, the youth team will be able to face the Italian Matteo Berretini, the sixth best tennis player in the world and the first favorite in Rio, in the quarterfinals.
The Spaniard won his first ATP 250 title last year, that of Umag, but he is the youngest to break into the top 40 of the world rankings since Rafael Nadal did so in 2004.
Alcaraz started with full force in the first set and, after quickly confirming his first serve taking advantage of two Munar errors, he broke the rival’s first serve and opened a 2-0 lead in just twelve minutes. But the Mallorcan reacted and, in an impressive comeback and taking advantage of the Murcian’s successive errors, he broke the youth’s next three services and confirmed his three to win the first set 6-2 in 45 minutes. Alcaraz had great difficulty confirming his first two services in the second set but he did so based more on strength and speed than technique, and that strategy also served him to break Munar’s second serve and put himself ahead by 4 -one. With his confidence restored and in an even more impressive comeback, he broke the last serve of his rival, he kept the second set for the same 6-2 and forced the tiebreaker set. The man from Murcia maintained the same level in the third round and quickly broke Munar’s first two services to take a 5-0 lead and only had to confirm his game to win the sleeve 6-1 and the match 2-1.
Alcaraz plans to play the doubles tournament in Brazil with Asturian Pablo Carreño, his friend and training partner at the Equelite JC Ferrero Sport Academy in Villena. The ninth edition of the tournament, suspended in 2021 due to the covid pandemic, will be held until this Sunday on the clay courts of the Brazilian Jockey Club of Rio de Janeiro and will award $317,400 to the champion, as well as 500 points in the ATP ranking. , and $169,985 to the other finalist, who will add 300 points.