Carlos Alcaraz must be used thoroughly at its premiere in Rotterdam | ATP Tour

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Alcaraz must be used thoroughly at its premiere in Rotterdam

Pedro Martínez is in 2R after beating Bautista Agut

February 04, 2025

It was not the most placid premiere for Carlos Alcaraz at ABN Amro Open. And it is that the main standard head debuted on Tuesday at the Dutch ATP 500 against a rival who forced him to work the victory to the third set.

The Spanish, who participates for the first time in the hard track of Rotterdam, had to fight for two hours and 34 minutes to bend the local favorite Botic Van de Zandschulp by 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-1.

“I think there were many ups and downs in the game,” Alcaraz acknowledged after the meeting. “While with set point against the first set, I think Botic played a very solid game. There were not too many ups and downs on his part, he was really consistent throughout the game. I am happy to move on. ”

“I had to be very focused on difficult times,” added the Spanish. “Keep pressing and trusting that good tennis would arrive. I am happy to overcome a complicated party and have the opportunity to continue improving in the next round. ”

As happened the last time the faces were seen, Van de Zandschulp put Alcaraz in trouble. While in the second round of the US Open last year, he managed to surprise, this time at home before his audience he was close to repeating the feat. But the 21-year-old Spanish managed to expand the Lexus ATP Head2head in his favor 3-1.

Alcaraz presents a 17-1 record against players classified outside the Top 50 from March until today. However, his only defeat was precisely before the Dutch – then No. 74 of the world – in Flushing Meadows.

No. 3 of the PIF ATP Rankings landed at Rotterdam to dispute the second tournament of the season. In its service sheet, the Australia Open is registered in 2025, where it reached the quarterfinals (p. With Novak Djokovic).

Exactly 14 days after the hard defeat against Serbian in Melbourne, Alcaraz returned to the competition at the ATP Tour in a meeting in which he went from less to more. In the first manga, where he granted two breaks, he had to save a set of set against 5-4, 40/30 and service for Van de Zandschulp.

The Murcia escaped the danger and in the Tie -break played with sufficient ease and aggressiveness to leave him from his side. But the problems with their service also continued in the second set and this time could not prevent its rival from taking advantage of the advantage. In the sixth game, Van de Zandschulp turned his third break in six opportunities (4-2).

He retained the distance on the scoreboard and took the encounter to the final partial, where he gave a serious notice again. However, Alcaraz resisted with his serve and prevented his rival from signing a new break in the first game. From then on, he displayed his best version to fly towards victory (6-1).

In Second Ronda awaits the winner of the shock that cites the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, winner of two ATP Tour titles this season, or the Italian from the previous phase Andrea Vavassori.

For his part, Pedro Martínez remained the first round duel between Spaniards against Roberto Bautista Aguet 6-3, 6-2. The Valencian will be the rival of the favorite No. 5 Holger Rune or the Italian Lorenzo Sonego.

Did you know what …?

Carlos Alcaraz is playing his tenth ATP Tour Tournament on a hard roof track, where he pursues his first final on the surface after being semifinalist in Vienna 2021, Basilea 2022 and the Nitto ATP Finals 2023.