Carlos Alcaraz overcomes Yannick Hanfmann, Cameron Norrie knocked out by Andrey Rublev in China Open first round
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 29/09/2023 at 16:34 GMT
Cameron Norrie was ultimately beaten in three sets by world No. 6 Andrey Rublev in Beijing. The British No. 1 took the first set, but Rublev responded to take the second in comprehensive fashion. The third and decisive set was a tighter affair, before the Russian ultimately prevailed. Later in the day, Carlos Alcaraz survived a few nervy moments to dispatch Yannick Hanfmann 6-4 6-3.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts in his match against Yannick Hanfmann of Germany on day 4 of the 2023 China Open at at National Tennis Center on September 29, 2023 in Beijing, China.
Image credit: Getty Images
Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the second round of the China Open with a 6-4 6-3 win over Yannick Hanfmann in Beijing.
The Wimbledon champion may have advanced in straight sets but he was made to sweat at times by the German.
The world No. 2 looked to have seized the early momentum after breaking Hanfmann in the third game.
However, the first set turned into a break-athon as Hanfmann broke back before failing to hold his own serve again, leaving the Spaniard 3-2 ahead.
Hanfmann then penetrated the Alcaraz serve serve again to level the set at 4-4, only to see his 20-year-old opponent break straight back to leave him serving for the set.
Alcaraz did so with relative comfort with a hold to 15 after 52 minutes of play.
The next set ended up being much more straightforward for Alcaraz, but started in the same manner of the first after a hold of serve each and Hanfmann being broken in the third.
Alcaraz appeared to have learned his lessons from the previous set and did not allow the 31-year-old a route back into the match, holding his next four service games with relative comfort.
He faced only one break point during that time, leaving the German serving to keep himself in the contest.
Fortunately for Alcaraz, the world No. 53 was unable to do that and despite a brave resistance in the ninth and final game, Hanfmann caved in on the third set point.
Alcaraz will face Lorenzo Musetti in round two after the Italian overcame Russian Karen Khachanov earlier on Friday.
Norrie knocked out by Rublev
Earlier in the day, Cameron Norrie was knocked out of the China Open with a first-round defeat to Andrey Rublev in Beijing.
The British No. 1 bowed out in a 6-4 1-6 4-6 reversal and follows on from Dan Evans’ exit earlier in the day to Jannik Sinner.
Neither player gave an inch in a keenly-contested start to the match, with the first six games going the way of serve.
However, the turning point came in the seventh game when Norrie broke the world No. 6 at the second opportunity and followed that up with a hold to 15. Soon, he had the first set.
But the Russian made an incredible response and came within touching distance of bagel by racing into a 5-0 lead in the second.
He broke the Brit in the second game before dismantling the Norrie serve again in a breathless fourth.
The match was levelled when Rublev staved off three break points to take the set 6-1.
The third set was more closely contested, but after a hold of serve each, Norrie was broken in the third game to ultimately swing the match in Rublev's favour.
Norrie was constantly chasing from that point onwards and although he saved two match points at 5-3, Rublev comfortably served it out in the next game.
Rublev will now face Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the second round.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
/images.sports.gracenote.com/images/lib/basic/geo/country/flag/large/2204.png)
/images.sports.gracenote.com/images/lib/basic/geo/country/flag/large/4058.png)
/images.sports.gracenote.com/images/lib/basic/geo/country/flag/large/2203.png)
/images.sports.gracenote.com/images/lib/basic/geo/country/flag/large/2206.png)