Alcaraz Battles Back In Basel Opener

Carlos Alcaraz fought off a strong challenge from #NextGenATP Briton Jack Draper to earn his first tournament win since his US Open title on Monday at the Swiss Indoors Basel. After dropping the opening set and surrendering a break advantage in the third, Alcaraz got back on track with a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory in his debut at the ATP 500.

The World No. 1 was beaten by David Goffin three weeks ago in the Astana opening round and was made to work to avoid another early exit against the 20-year-old in the pair’s first ATP Head2Head meeting.

“In the beginning of the match it was tough,” he said. “I did a lot of mistakes in the beginning. I wanted to play really aggressive on this court. For me, it’s a bit slower than the other tournaments. But obviously I had to handle that, I had to work on my problems and change my tactics a little bit in the second set.

“I knew that Jack is playing great. He is a really dangerous player and I really had to be focused and, of course, never give up.”

Draper broke twice in the opening set, using a finishing flourish to break at love in its final game. After saving two break points to lead 5-3, he brought up set point with a whipped backhand pass from deep in the corner and converted with a roped forehand winner.

But Alcaraz quickly steadied in set two as he tightened up his ground game and began to dictate play in racing to a 4-0 lead. He remained on top in set three, leading 4-2, until Draper edged in front by winning three straight games.

From 4-5, Alcaraz returned the favour by winning three straight games of his own to close out the win. Draper fought until the last ball, bringing up two break points in what was the joint-longest game of the match as Alcaraz served it out. The Spaniard narrowly avoided a decisive tie-break, saving the first break point with a fearless forehand winner that clipped the sideline before sealing victory on his third match point.

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The all-action Alcaraz finished with 39 winners and 34 unforced errors, compared to 27 and 12 from Draper. He will face either Botic van de Zandschulp or Adrian Mannarino in the second round, with countryman Pablo Carreno Busta — one of five Spaniards in the Basel draw — a potential quarter-final opponent.

Despite the loss, Draper has already clinched qualification for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan next month, an event which Alcaraz won in 2021. The Spaniard will graduate to the Nitto ATP Finals this year, as he is set for his debut in Turin.

Also advancing on Monday in Basel were Brandon Nakashima and Alexander Bublik. Nakashima was a 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 winner against Goffin while Bublik downed Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 7-6(2).