Carlos Alcaraz breezes through opener at Paris Masters

Paris: Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz opened his campaign at the Paris Masters on Tuesday with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Chilean Nicolas Jarry.

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After receiving a bye through the first round, Alcaraz flew into a 3-0 lead in his round of 32 match but was reigned back in by Jarry, before eventually claiming the first set 7-5.

However, Alcaraz was in commanding form in the second set, giving his Chilean opponent only one game as he raced to victory.

Rublev loses

The 21-year-old Spaniard is the heavy favourite to win his first title on the hard court in Paris after Italian world No 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from the tournament earlier on Tuesday due to an intestinal virus.

Alcaraz will face either Frenchman Ugo Humbert or American Marcos Giron in the round of 16.

Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo edged Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) in a two-set match that lasted nearly two hours 20 minutes.

Poland’s 12th seed Hubert Hurkacz was also upset as he succumbed to a 1-6, 3-6 defeat to American Alex Michelsen, with play lasting just over 50 minutes.

Alex de Minaur beat Mariano Navone of Argentina 7-5, 6-1 to keep alive his chances of reaching the ATP Finals next month.

Holger Rune enjoyed a regulation 6-4, 6-4 win over Matteo Arnaldi, while the USA’s Ben Shelton fought through in three sets against hometown hope Corentin Moutet.

Gasquet loses early

In another France-against-USA battle, 21-year-old French wildcard Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard beat Frances Tiafoe 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.

France’s Richard Gasquet, who earlier in October announced his retirement from tennis after next year’s French Open, bowed out of the Paris Masters with a 3-6, 4-6 loss to Belgian Zizou Bergs.

Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud and Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas are both in action later on Tuesday.