Carlos Alcaraz thinks his opening match in Barcelona was "close even if the score was easy"

Thursday, 21 April 2022 at 08:30

Updated at Monday, 13 November 2023 at 11:48

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byZachary Wimer

World number 11, Carlos Alcaraz, entered the 2022 Barcelona Open successfully when the youngster defeated Soonwoo Kwon in three sets.

Carlos Alcaraz has been one of the most watched players on the ATP Tour lately as the Spaniard played incredible tennis during the Sunshine Double. Now, after losing in the first round of the Monte-Carlo Masters, Alcaraz will need to prove himself on the clay in front of the home crowd in Spain.

He entered the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona as the fifth seed, and in the absence of the defending champion Rafael Nadal, he will try to bring joy to the home crowd with a title run, but that's too far ahead right now.

First, the youngster had to overcome Soonwoo Kwon, who bested Benoit Paire in his opening round match 6-4, 6-4. Alcaraz didn't have to play a first-round match, since as the fifth seed, he received a bye.

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The Spaniard had some problems during his first match at the Barcelona Open, but eventually, he managed to overcome those problems and beat Kwon in three sets, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2.

In his second match at the tournament, which will be already the third-round match, Alcaraz will take on fellow countryman Jaume Munar, who already has two wins behind his belt, after eliminating Italy's Gian Marco Moroni and the ninth-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili from Georgia.

After the match, Alcaraz assessed his performance and even though he won, the teenager was certainly aware that there was a lot to improve after the second-round showing.

"I started playing very well. The match was in my favour. It was tough to keep up in the score at the second set. I think he started to play really well, as well. And then I [started] very well at the third. It was a close match, I think, even if the score was a little bit easy."

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When the going gets tough, Carlitos gets going 💪 @alcarazcarlos03 gets a first Barcelona main draw win, surviving a scare to defeat Kwon 6-1 2-6 6-2! #BCNOpenBS