Tsitsipas rallies in ATP Masters 1000 event

PARIS:

Greek 10th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas fought past Spanish lucky loser Roberto Carballes Baena 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the Rolex Paris Masters on Monday.

Tsitsipas needed an hour and 59 minutes, but when it was said and done the 26-year-old secured the 100th match win at an ATP Masters 1000 event of his career. Tsitsipas said he battled an upset stomach during the match.

"It took a long time for me to feel better," Tsitsipas said.

"It was very strange. It doesn't happen very often. I just had to feel better, because I knew I was playing good tennis. I didn't have a great start, but there were so many things on my mind at that moment, I wasn't able to play clearly and with a good picture."

Tsitsipas finished with an 11-4 edge in aces and a whopping 36-15 advantage in total winners, but he had to overcome 45 unforced errors while Carballes Baena committed only 21.

Tsitsipas also won 36 of his 45 first-service points (80 percent) and saved 4 of 6 break points.

Tsitsipas' next opponent will be Chile's Alejandro Tabilo, who outlasted Portugal's Nuno Borges 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in two hours and 10 minutes.

A trio of Frenchmen won on home soil in the opening round. Wild card Adrian Mannarino upset No. 11 seed Tommy Paul 6-3, 7-5. He reached break point 11 times and managed to break Paul's serve on five occasions.

"I don't know if it's the fact of playing in Paris or of fully finding my form after a lot of physical problems," Mannarino told reporters in French, per tennismajors.com.

"The level of play (Monday) was good. Managing to finish the match, when there are many that have passed me by in the same kind of circumstances, it's really satisfying."

No. 15 seed Ugo Humbert also pleased the French fans with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Brandon Nakashima. And wild card Arthur Rinderknech advanced when Czech opponent Tomas Machac retired during the second set of their match.

Machac won the first set 7-6 (3) and was trailing 3-5 in the second.

Serbian lucky loser Miomir Kecmanovic went the distance against Argentina's Sebastian Baez, prevailing 6-4, 6-7 (6), 7-5 in two hours and 28 minutes.

Advancing in straight sets were Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, American qualifier Marcos Giron, Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, Nicolas Jarry of Chile, Jordan Thompson of Australia and Argentines Francisco Cerundolo and Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Alcaraz back in Paris

Carlos Alcaraz approaches this week's Paris Masters hoping to make it a triple in the French capital in 2024 by adding the ATP 1000 title to his French Open win and silver medal at the Olympics.

The Spanish world number two has never managed to progress further than the quarter-finals at this event, falling at the first hurdle last year against Russian Roman Safiullin.

One of the major obstacles to the title has been removed with seven-time winner Novak Djokovic deciding not to take part.

"My aim is to close the circle with a kind of triple (in Paris), or at least get a good result," Alcaraz said on Monday.

"I said last year, I had to understand that the season is still going after September.

"And I think I did prepare really well this year," added Alcaraz, who won this month's China Open and made it to the semi-finals in the Shanghai Masters.

"The calendar is super tight, super demanding, but coming to this year, I think I'm feeling different.

"I have been doing great work lately. So I think I'm ready to do good results or at least go farther than last year, that I think is not really difficult!"

Alcaraz takes to the indoor court at Bercy Arena, which hosted the gymnastics and basketball at the Olympics, against either Chile's Nicolas Jarry or Italian Lorenzo Sonego.

"I'm eager to get started," said Alcaraz, who followed up his Roland Garros triumph with the title at Wimbledon.

"I feel good, both physically and mentally, and happy with my game."