Forceful and safe. In just 1 hour and 15 minutes Carlos Alcaraz has been imposed on the Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis by 6-3 and 6-3 in his first match at the Masters 1,000 in Indian Wells. The Murcian tennis player who returned to compete after being injured in the final of the Rio de Janeiro tournament.
🇪🇸 Carlos Alcaraz, third round in Indian Wells
The Spaniard defeated 🇦🇺 Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-3.
He was one step away from winning 100 of his career and began his journey in search of the No. 1 in the world.
— Tennis Hit (@golpedetenis) March 12, 2023
The Murcian tennis player, current world number 2, has not given a choice to the doubles partner of Nick Kyrgios who had entered the Californian tournament after overcoming the previous phase. The Australian tennis player (94th in the world) has been overwhelmed by a rival who has dominated him from the first point at stake. After 10 days without being able to play due to a hamstring injury in his right leg, suffered in the final in Rio de Janeiro that he lost to the British Cameron Norrie and prevented him from playing last week in the Acapulco tournament, Alcaraz has been unstoppable against one of the best servers on the circuit.
“I’ve had a lot of fun”
The effectiveness of his service (82% of first serves won, in the first set he won 20 of 21 points), the pressure on the rest of Kokkinakis and the rhythm that he set in the game with 21 winners and only 9 unforced errors, gave him a convincing victory on his return to the courts.
Last year alcaraz reached the semifinals in Indian Wells. Now a victory in the tournament or reaching the final would allow him temporarily regain world number 1 in which he has been 20 weeks and has not been able to defend being out on the circuit for 103 days, since last November and reappear this season winning the title in Buenos Aires.
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“I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve been feeling really comfortable, so I think I am ready and fully recovered from the injury. I have not felt any pain in my leg. I played at a high level. I like these conditions, a little slower than other hard court tournaments, I valued alcaraz that, in the next round, this Monday, he will face the Dutch Tallon Greek Railway (36 worldwide).
badosa victory
In the women’s tournament, Paula Badosa also reappeared with a victory by beating Nuria Parrizas by 6-2 and 7-5. Indian Wells champion in 2021 and current world number 22, the Catalan tennis player only needed 1 hour and 38 minutes to defeat the tennis player from Granada (88th world number) in her first match on the WTA circuit. badosa will face the kazakh in the third round Elena Rybakinalast Wimbledon champion and 21st world champion.
