Alcaraz getting 'better and better' after dominant Paris win
Carlos Alcaraz says his injured forearm is getting "better and better" after claiming a dominant first-round French Open win over J.J. Wolf.
The 21-year-old pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters in April with a muscle strain and arrived in Paris without much match practice.
However he dropped just four games in an 6-1 6-2 6-1 dispatching of American lucky loser Wolf.
Wimbledon champion Alcaraz wore a compression sleeve on his arm during the match, but said afterwards: "I think I showed my best tennis today.
"I tried everything I could do to be here at 100%."
Spain's Alcaraz needed just one hour and 51 minutes to win, with his ground strokes close to their formidable best.
He hit 27 winners to just 16 unforced errors and registered five aces as he bids to better his semi-final showing from last year.
“I would have loved to have played more matches but I don’t need too many to get to 100%," Alcaraz said.
"I did really good preparation this past two weeks and practices with top players. My forearm is getting better and better.”
Alcaraz will play qualifier Jesper de Jong in the second round, after the Dutchman shocked Britain's Jack Draper in five sets.
Rublev through despite scare
Earlier, sixth seed Andrey Rublev came through a tough test against Taro Daniel to reach the second round.
Russia's Rublev did not have it all his own way on Court Simonne-Mathieu but worked his way to a 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 7-5 win over Japan's Daniel.
The 26-year-old is looking to go beyond the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Rublev has struggled with his on-court demeanour over the years and threw his racquet to the ground in frustration after missing three set points in the second set.
However, he showed determination to regroup and grind out victory in three hours and 11 minutes, despite world number 80 Daniel almost forcing a fourth-set tie-break.
Rublev will face Pedro Martinez next after the Spaniard needed five sets to claim a 5-7 6-4 3-6 6-4 6-3 victory over Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina.
Poland's eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz also went the distance in his match against Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki, eventually winning 4-6 6-3 3-6 6-0 6-3.
Earlier, French number one and 17th seed Ugo Humbert lost 6-4 2-6 6-4 6-3 to Lorenzo Sonego of Italy, while Bulgarian 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov defeated American Aleksandar Kovacevic in straight sets.
Three-time Japanese quarter-finalist Kei Nishikori went the distance in his 7-5 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 1-6 7-5 win over Canadian qualifier Gabriel Diallo, and American 27th seed Sebastian Korda beat French wildcard Harold Mayot in straight sets.
