A grand debut in Paris

Carlos Alcaraz successfully navigated a very complicated debut at the ATP Paris against Alex Michelsen, whom he defeated by a score of 7-6(4) and 6-3 after 1 hour and 40 minutes of play. After lifting the title in Vienna, the Spanish tennis player has extended his great form to advance to the round of 16 in the Paris capital, where he will face Matteo Berrettini for a spot in the quarter-finals.

The challenge that awaited Alcaraz in his Paris debut was not easy, as this court is one of the fastest of the year and the conditions were different compared to those in Austria. To make matters worse, Michelsen had just defeated a very in-form player like Jiri Lehecka, although today he experienced firsthand what it means to face a focused Carlos, as he is on fire.

Alcaraz comes back in a frantic tiebreak

The match began with both players granting few concessions on serve. However, at 2-2 Alcaraz found his rhythm and held a 15-40, which he capitalized on with a stunning reflex volley showcasing the magic he is known for. That said, Michelsen's reaction was swift, with a 30-40 in the next game that Carlos saved with another masterful volley. Unfortunately, in the second, Alex did not miss, and a missed forehand from the Spaniard brought the score back to even. 

The trend remained the same until 5-5, when Alcaraz achieved a 40-40 on the return, putting some pressure on the American. However, Michelsen recovered and they ended up in the tiebreak, where Alex took a step forward, playing more aggressively to go up 4-1. Instead of folding, Carlos responded with two great serves and a cross-court forehand that tied it at 4-4, and he invented another brilliance with a cross-court backhand to go up 5-4 with two serves. As expected, the Spaniard did not falter, taking the lead to move closer to the round of 16.

Alcaraz breaks at the right moment to advance to the round of 16

The second set began with a very similar dynamic to the first, as neither player allowed the other to take a step forward on the return. In fact, at 3-3 it was Michelsen who had a break point that would have given him a golden lead in the score. However, the Spaniard saved the day and moved ahead to 4-3 to have a 15-40, although this time it was Alex who, with a forehand and a backhand error from Carlos, breathed a sigh of relief.

That said, the Spanish player pulled off an incredible point to create another break point, and with another cross-court backhand sealed the break to serve for the match. When it was time to close, he did not miss, in a very hard-fought duel that allows him to reach the round of 16 against Berrettini and prove that, as of today, he is virtually unbeatable.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Un debut a lo grande en París