United States Open | Alcaraz advances to second round after Baez retires

(New York) The Spanish phenomenon Carlos Alcaraz, 4^e world, qualified for the second round of the United States Open on Tuesday by taking advantage of the abandonment of the Argentinian Sebastian Baez (37^e) who had given him a lot of trouble during the first two rounds.

Baez threw in the towel after 2:31 a.m. in sweltering, humid heat with Alcaraz leading 7-5, 7-5, 2-0.

“No one wanted to see such an end to the game. Neither the players nor the public deserved it”, immediately commented the 19-year-old Spaniard who will face the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor (46^e) or another Argentinian, Federico Coria (78^e).

He admitted that the playing conditions had been particularly grueling, especially in the 2^e round where it was “very difficult to stay at the level physically and psychologically”.

He thus explains the 28 unforced errors he committed during this second round, out of the 47 in total.

Last year, Alcaraz reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament in New York for the first time. This year, he returns in the costume of one of the main contenders for the title.

“Last year, I had lived one of the greatest moments of my life, of my career. And there be there as 4^e worldwide, it’s incredible,” he acknowledged with a broad smile.