World primary Carlos Alcaraz made an emphatic begin to his Miami Open title defence, defeating Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis 6-0, 6-2 on Friday. The 19-year-old Spaniard, the youngest ever participant to high the rankings, is trying to full the “Sunshine Double” after beating Daniil Medvedev in final week’s Indian Wells last. Alcaraz made a blistering begin profitable the primary 11 factors of the match, with the 33-year-old Bagnis having no reply in any respect to {the teenager}’s highly effective serve.

There was a loud cheer from the gang at Exhausting Rock Stadium when Bagnis, who has by no means crushed a high 20 ranked participant, held serve within the second set after which broke Alcaraz to make it 2-2.

However that was a quick second of respite for Bagnis quite than any shift in momentum and Alcaraz had no additional issues as he blasted his option to victory in simply 65 minutes.

“To begin a brand new match isn’t straightforward, totally different circumstances. I’ve to be able to get used to those new circumstances, however I used to be actually targeted on the match from the start, and I am pleased with the way in which that I performed,” mentioned the Spaniard.

Alcaraz must win right here to take care of his high spot within the rankings, will face both Serbian Dusan Lajovic or American Maxime Cressy within the third spherical. After his win in Miami final 12 months, Alcaraz boldly predicted he was able to win a Grand Slam and he returns now having achieved that purpose and, he concedes, as a distinct man.

“I grew up loads since final 12 months. It has been a terrific 12 months for me as a participant, as an individual as properly. I realized numerous issues, not solely on courtroom, additionally off the courtroom, as properly,” he mentioned.

His whirlwind 12 months caught up with him bodily – he needed to miss January’s Australian Open with a leg harm –  and the Spaniard says he’s now extra cautious about his bodily situation.

“I’ve to take care about myself a little bit bit extra off the courtroom, taking care about going early to mattress, to relaxation higher, eat properly, maintain myself off the courtroom. That is an important factor for me,” he mentioned.

Fritz advances

It was additionally a simple begin to the match for America’s high ranked participant, world quantity 10 Taylor Fritz who noticed off 21-year-old Californian Emilio Nava 6-4, 6-1. Nava’s ultra-attacking model had earned him an upset win over John Isner within the earlier spherical and he hit some spectacular winners early towards Fritz.

However Fritz saved his calm and with the primary set below his belt, picked off Nava with ease within the second. Fritz felt Nava, a promising expertise, had made a typical mistake of younger arrivals on the tour.

“I feel that he ought to simply play his sport extra. In these sort of matches I really feel like he perhaps felt like he needed to play a lot increased than his capability on this match,” he mentioned.

“Simply the way in which he was simply sort of going for winners off every little thing within the first set. It was working, nevertheless it’s powerful to maintain. That is one thing that I did as properly after I was a child,” he added.

Germany’s Alexander Zverev’s postive return to the tour after his ankle ligament harm, which noticed him attain the final 16 at Indian Wells, was reduce brief by a straight units 6-0, 6-4, loss to Japanese wildcard Taro Daniel.

The thirteenth seed Zverev, who has sort one diabetes, needed to take an insulin shot through the match as New York-born Daniel picked up one other spectacular win after his victory over Matteo Berrettini at Indian Wells and win over world quantity 4 Casper Ruud on the Mexican Open.

Ruud defeated Belarus’s Ilya Ivashka 6-2, 6-3, whereas Italy’s Jannik Sinner additionally progressed to the third spherical with a  6-4, 6-2 victory towards Laslo Djere.

After reaching the ultimate in his Miami debut in 2021 and reaching the quarter-finals final 12 months, the 21-year-old Italian might be trying to go deep once more.