Alcaraz Unfazed by Fatigue, Triumphs Over Quinn

Without much time to digest his great victory in Monte Carlo, where he claimed the sixth title of his career and became the best tennis player of the year so far, Carlos Alcaraz made a winning debut this Tuesday at the Conde de Godó.

The Spaniard defeated the rookie Ethan Quinn 6-2, 7-6 (6), marking his eleventh consecutive victory in Barcelona. Since losing as a wildcard in 2021, when he was ranked 119th in the world, Alcaraz has only won matches on this court, where he claimed the titles in 2022 and 2023 and is aiming for a third this year.

Against a more seasoned opponent, with victories in the qualifying rounds against Corentin Moutet and Borna Coric, both more formidable and experienced rivals, Alcaraz showed no signs of fatigue from the week in Monte Carlo and, in front of a packed Rafael Nadal court, returned to victory in a tournament he missed in 2024 due to a forearm injury.

Quinn, a 21-year-old American without victories on European clay, succumbed to nerves and the pressure of the occasion, resulting in a somewhat expected defeat, though he performed better than many anticipated.

Especially on return, the American created opportunities in a first set marked by changing temperatures and shadows in Barcelona. Quinn had five chances on Alcaraz's serve but lost them all, while the Spaniard capitalised on his opponent's 19 unforced errors to take the lead.

The 6-2 scoreline suggested an almost routine victory for the world number two, but Quinn shook off the pressure and played a second set where he even led 1-3 and had a 3-4, 0-30 advantage due to two untimely mishits by the Spaniard. Alcaraz turned it around and served for the match at 6-5. A flurry of errors allowed Quinn back into the match, which revived when a forehand attack from the Spaniard went wide, taking the set to a tie-break.

Shifting sands for Alcaraz, who was letting his opponent gain confidence and putting his physical stability at risk after the emotions experienced in the Principality. His errors, driven by a desire to finish quickly, prevented him from pulling away from the American, whose arm shrank every time the opportunity required stepping up.

This back-and-forth struggle from both players resulted in an erratic tie-break, resolved not without difficulty, after saving a set point against him, by Alcaraz's efficiency and experience, closing the match with a magnificent drop shot.

His next opponent will be Serbia's Laslo Djere, who came through the qualifiers and defeated Arthur Rinderknech in three sets. Their only previous encounter was won by Alcaraz in Buenos Aires 2023.

On Tuesday, Jaume Munar advanced against Frances Tiafoe; Stefanos Tsitsipas against Reilly Opelka; Alex de Minaur against Tomás Martín Etcheverry, and Casper Ruud against Daniel Galán, while Pablo Carreño fell to Arthur Fils.