Cincinnati Open: Alcaraz battles as Shelton, Zverev race into third round

Cincinnati: Carlos Alcaraz fought through a second-set slump to post a “rollercoaster” 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Damir Dzumhur in his opening match Sunday at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open.

The Spaniard, playing his first tournament since losing to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final, raced through the first set but completely lost his way in the second, dropping his serve twice against the 33-year-old Bosnian.

Alcaraz regained his intensity and cut down his errors in the third as a seventh ace took him to a match point that was converted when Dzumhur fired wide.

“It was just a rollercoaster,” said the second seed, who was winning his 12th straight match at the Masters 1000 level after taking the titles in Monte Carlo and Rome.

“Lots of good feelings, bad feelings, back to the good ones. I am happy to get the win in the end. I know that I have chances to do better.”

Alcaraz committed 44 unforced errors and said conditions in Cincinnati, where he was runner-up in 2023, were always tricky.

Ben Shelton eased into the third round after Camilo Ugo Carabelli retired early in the second set with a knee injury.

Competing just three days after winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto, Shelton was leading 6-3, 3-1 after 64 minutes when the Argentine retired.

Carabelli grasped his knee on the first point of the fourth game of the second set after an awkward movement coming forward into the court. After a medical timeout he could not move freely and retired after completing Shelton’s service game, ATP reports.

“I feel for Camilo and it’s obviously not the way that you want to go through. I hope that he has a quick recovery,” Shelton next faces Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut, said.

Meanwhile, world No. 3 Alexander Zverev dropped a serving masterclass on American Nishesh Basavareddy to breeze into the third round with a 6-3, 6-3 win, his 40th of the year.

Zverev said that he was happy to get through without expending too much energy, and to avoid playing in the heat of the day.

“I requested (a night match), coming from Toronto, where it’s a lot colder, I need some days getting used to the heat and conditions. I’m happy with the win and happy with how I played.”

The two-time ATP Finals champion will next play 27th seed, American Brandon Nakashima, who toughed out a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) win over Belgian qualifier Alexander Blockx.

Elsewhere, Karen Khachanov, who fell to Shelton in a third-set tie-break in the Toronto final, won his opening Cincinnati match against French qualifier Valentin Royer 6-4, 7-6.

The World No. 12 hit seven aces according to ATP Stats and took charge with his forehand in his one hour, 50-minute win. He next faces American wild card Jenson Brooksby.

Sixth seed Alex de Minaur of Australia, the Washington champion, lost to American Reilly Opelka 7-6 (8/6), 6-4.

But another Australian, Adam Walton, secured a first top-50 win of his career with a 6-7 (0/7), 6-4, 6-1 upset of former world number one and 2019 Cincy champion Daniil Medvedev of Russi. Agencies

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