Carlos Alcaraz is making a return to the tennis courts as the Spanish player returns to the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires to try and defend his trophy.
Alcaraz played in Argentina last year and had an amazing time, winning the ATP 250 title. It was a fabulous launching pad for the rest of his season, which ended up being quite special.
The hope and goal are similar for this year. After some struggles with his play Down Under, Alcaraz is hoping that clay proves to be a safe space for him. The start will be tricky as he faces a native player who has looked pretty solid to start this year.
Camilo Ugo Carabelli is not a player for the highest of heights, but he's certainly capable enough to compete on clay. So, how will this one go?
They have never played before, which isn't a huge surprise. The Argentinian player rarely played on the ATP Tour, making this a pretty important match for him. Expect him to give his all and expect it to be an interesting match at times.
Carabelli is 9-1 on clay this year and has played a lot of matches already, but ultimately, he should come up short once Alcaraz finds his best tennis. The Spaniard is another beast on clay, and the familiarity with the court in Buenos Aires should certainly help him greatly here.
Carlos Alcaraz | Camilo Carabelli | |
0 | H2H | 0 |
2 | Rank | 134 |
20 | Age | 24 |
4-1 | 2024 W/L | 0-0 |
159-44 | Career W/L | 2-3 |
Expect Alcaraz to take a few games to settle in, but then he should be able to move his opponent around and finish off points either with his forehand or the drop shot. It's really a pick-your-poison type of situation with him on clay.
Carabelli will try to give the home crowd a good show, but ultimately, anything but a straight-sets loss would be a major surprise.
Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz to win in two sets.