Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz marked his return to tennis after a thigh injury with an impressive 6-3, 6-3 victory over Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic at the Italian Open on Friday. The win at the Foro Italico in Rome signals Alcaraz’s bid for his first-ever Italian Open title.
After an absence since his injury during the Barcelona Open final loss to Holger Rune last month, the World No. 3 showed signs of rust with 22 unforced errors. However, his performance was still more than enough to see off Lajovic in just 1 hour and 23 minutes.
“I tried to make the most of my time, and it was a great performance, a great level, which was surprising for me a little bit,” Alcaraz said after the match. He also mentioned how he used his break to recharge mentally, spending quality time with family and friends.
Despite his occasional mistakes, Alcaraz started both sets strongly, securing the first four games in the opening set. His dominance continued into the second, where he quickly raced to a 3-0 lead before serving out the match. Alcaraz now moves on to face either Alex Michelsen or Laslo Djere in the third round, where he could potentially meet World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is also eyeing a title in Rome.
Sinner, who has been serving a three-month doping ban, is scheduled to make his comeback on Saturday against Mariano Navone in a highly anticipated match. Sinner will play in front of a home crowd at the Foro Italico, where he will seek to regain his competitive edge after his suspension.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz plans to keep things low-key during his day off. “I’ll keep an eye on Sinner’s match,” he added, before revealing he would also attend a football match featuring his friend Patric, who plays for Lazio, against Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico nearby.
Sabalenka Dominates to Reach Third Round
In the women’s draw, Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka displayed her usual dominance, cruising to a straightforward 6-2, 6-2 win over Russia’s Anastasia Potapova. The current World No. 1 and last year’s finalist, Sabalenka, sealed the victory in just over an hour. She will now face Sofia Kenin in the next round after the American defeated another Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-3, 6-0.
Sabalenka remains in exceptional form, having reached the final in her last four tournaments. She also clinched two prestigious 1000 series titles in both Miami and Madrid. Confident ahead of her upcoming matches, Sabalenka remarked, “The top player is always a favourite, and if I bring my best game and fighting spirit, I know I can win this tournament.”
Dimitrov and Zverev Upsets
One notable upset in the men’s draw was the early exit of Bulgarian 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov, who was defeated by Italian wild card Francesco Passaro. Dimitrov fell 7-5, 6-3 in the opening round, allowing Passaro to advance to the next round, where he will face either Roman Burruchaga or Karen Khachanov.
In contrast, former champion Alexander Zverev, last year’s Italian Open winner, is in action later today against Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
Local Hopes and Rising Stars
Home hope Lorenzo Musetti, ranked in the top 10 for the first time in his career, made a strong start with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen. Musetti’s form has drawn attention as he eyes an extended run at his home tournament.
Looking Ahead
With the third round of both singles draws set to commence, fans eagerly await the potential match-ups, including the prospect of Alcaraz facing Sinner in a high-stakes clash. The Foro Italico will undoubtedly be buzzing with excitement as the tournament progresses.
