Carlos Alcaraz overcame US qualifier Ethan Quinn 6-2 7-6 (8-6) in 1 hour and 46 minutes at Pista Rafael Nadal to reach the second round at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadall two days after winning his first title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
Alcaraz hit 16 winners to 27 unforced errors and won 19 points more than Quinn, who produced nine winners to 35 unforced errors.
Quinn saved three break points to hold serve in a 12-minute first game. Alcaraz faced three break points in the second game, but he saved them to draw level to 1-1.
Alcaraz earned a double break in the third and fifth games to open a 4-1 lead. Quinn earned two break-back points in the sixth game, but he wasted them. Alcaraz held his serve with a powerful serve. Quinn wasted a 40-0 lead in the seventh game and faced a set point, but he saved it to hold serve.
Alcaraz served out the first set 6-2 with a hold at 15 after 44 minutes.
Both players traded four breaks in the first five games of the second set. Quinn hit a forehand crosscourt winner in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead. Alcaraz broke back with a volley winner at the next in the next game to reduce the deficit to 2-3. Both players held serve in the next five games to draw level to 5-5. Alcaraz broke serve at love in the 11thgame to take a 6-5 lead earning his chance to serve for the match. Quinn pulled the break back to draw level to 6-6, when Alcaraz made a forehand error on the break point. The tie-break featured seven mini-breaks in the first eight points. Quinn hit service winner in the ninth point and drew level to 5-5 after Alcaraz made a forehand error. Quinn drew Alcaraz’s error in the 11th point to earn a set point at 6-5. Alcaraz saved it with a forehand before earning another mini-break in the 13th point and converted a match point with a drop shot to seal the tie-break 8-6.
“It’s a really special tournament for me, so I’m really happy to play again here, in front of my people. It was a difficult match for me, I just had to deal with the pressure and the nerves. But I’m really happy to have won in straight sets, and give myself a bit of energy for the next matches. The clay season is short and really intense. You have to be at 100 per cent in every match, every tournament. Two days ago I playing a final in Monte-Carlo… It’s different conditions here, so I couldn’t rest at all, that’s why saving energy is really important right now”, said Alcaraz.
Casper Ruud beat qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan 6-4 6-3 to set up a match against Hamad Medjedovic.
Galan saved three break points to hold serve at deuce at deuce in the second game. He fended off two more break points in the fourth game. Ruud made back-to-back double faults to fall to 4-4 0-30, but he won eight of the final nine points. The Norwegian player broke serve in the 10th game to close out the first set 6-4.
Ruud broke serve at 30 in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead and sealed the win on his first match point in the ninth game.
