Tennis · International
Alcaraz opens Melbourne campaign with victory over Walton
The top seed recovered from a second-set deficit to advance in straight sets.
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Carlos Alcaraz began his Australian Open campaign with a 6–3, 7–6(2), 6–2 victory over Adam Walton at Rod Laver Arena. The world number one was playing his first competitive match since the previous season’s ATP Finals and chasing his first Melbourne title.
Walton tested the favourite by breaking for a 3–1 lead in the second set. Alcaraz immediately recovered the break, then controlled the tiebreak before pulling away in the third set. The Australian had entered the tournament ranked eighty-first.
The result gave Alcaraz a second-round meeting with Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann. His campaign carried wider significance because winning the tournament would complete his set of major titles and make him the youngest man to achieve a career Grand Slam.
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