ATP roundup: Carlos Alcaraz battles past Nardi to advance in Qatar Open

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz overcame a spirited challenge from qualifier Luca Nardi to claim a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory in the second round of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha on Wednesday. The world No. 3 started strong, converting five of 11 break points, while his Italian opponent, ranked No. 85, managed only two of five and struggled with five double faults.

After cruising through the opening set and taking a commanding 4-1 lead in the second, Alcaraz saw Nardi mount an impressive comeback to force a decisive third set. However, the Spaniard regained control to close out the match, extending his winning streak at ATP 500 events to 12 matches. Up next, he faces Czech player Jiri Lehecka, who eased past Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 6-2.

Second-seeded Alex de Minaur, fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev, fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev, and eighth-seeded Jack Draper all advanced in straight sets. Italy’s Matteo Berrettini battled past Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (4), 6-7 (6), 6-4, while Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime progressed after Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic withdrew due to a right leg injury.

Rio Open

Top-seeded Alexander Zverev endured a tough second-round test in Rio de Janeiro, edging Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko 7-6 (1), 7-6 (6). The match, lasting 2 hours and 28 minutes, featured a grueling 18-point opening game, setting the stage for an intense contest. Shevchenko had two set points in the second-set tiebreaker, but Zverev held his nerve to claim four consecutive points and secure the win.

Defending champion Sebastian Baez, the fifth seed, overcame a second-set dip to defeat fellow Argentine Mariano Navone 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. Another Argentine, Francisco Comesana, produced a thrilling upset, saving a match point in the deciding tiebreaker to eliminate sixth-seeded Nicolas Jarry 7-6 (4), 6-7 (1), 7-6 (6).

In the final match of the night, Taiwan’s Chun-Hsin Tseng staged a comeback against Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro, rallying to win 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (4).

SportsLigue