World No. 595, Who Once Lost 24 Straight Games, Stuns US Open Semi-Finalist In China Open
NDTV
Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev also made winning starts to their China Open campaigns.
Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev both won in straight sets to launch their China Open title bids Friday while 595th-ranked Zhang Shuai pulled off a big shock in the women's draw. Four-time major champion Alcaraz defeated fellow 21-year-old Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-4 and faces Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in round two in Beijing. Alcaraz, who went out in the second round of the US Open last month, made a blistering start against the 51st-ranked Frenchman by breaking serve in the first game.
The Spanish second seed then faced three break points as he served for the first set, but he saved them all on the way to wrapping up the set in style.
"Saving three break points and be able to close the first set, it was really important for me," he said.
Alcaraz started the second set in exactly the same way, breaking his opponent, and sealed a comfortable victory on his first match point.
The only sour point for the Spaniard was when he was given a second time violation as he served for the first set.
