LONDON (AP) – Carlos Alcaraz’s first grass-court match exterior Wimbledon proved to be a difficult one.
Playing for the primary time on the Queen’s Club Championships, the top-seeded Alcaraz got here from a set down Tuesday to win 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3) towards fortunate loser Arthur Rinderknech – a No. 83-ranked Frenchman who solely discovered he was enjoying following the withdrawal of Arthur Fils a few hours earlier than the match.
“It has been a really tough match,” Alcaraz stated. “It was really difficult for me at the beginning to adapt my tennis, my game, to the grass.”
Alcaraz confronted difficulties in coping with the tall Rinderknech’s huge serve and internet protection in what was the No. 2-ranked Spaniard’s seventh profession match on grass, and first away from the All England Club.
Alcaraz rallied from happening a break early within the third set and dominated the tiebreaker, which began with an epic level that noticed Alcaraz tumble to the bottom after racing to the online to hit a cross-court winner.
The fourth level, which put Alcaraz 3-1 forward, was additionally memorable due to his outrageous lob on the run that landed on Rinderknech’s baseline and arrange one other forehand winner. Alcaraz then transformed his third match level.
“For me, it’s tough playing here but I enjoy playing on grass and it’s a tournament I really wanted to play,” Alcaraz stated.
It was Alcaraz’s first match since shedding to Novak Djokovic within the French Open semifinals, after which he went to Spanish occasion island Ibiza.
Earlier on the Wimbledon warmup match, second-seeded Holger Rune beat big-serving American Maxime Cressy 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) for his first grass-court ATP win, after shedding three within the first spherical final yr – together with at Wimbledon.
Frances Tiafoe received his first match as a top-10 participant by defeating Botic van De Zandschulp 6-2 6-4.
Tiafoe is seeded fourth in London after successful the grass-court Stuttgart Open title on Sunday to climb to a career-high spot of No. 10 within the rankings. Another American, third-seeded Taylor Fritz, performs Bernabe Zapata Miralles later.
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