2HGJ7N7 Melbourne, Australia. 21st Jan, 2022. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) during his third round match at the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, on January 21, 2022. Photo by Corinne Dubreuil/ABACAPRESS.COM Credit: Abaca Press/Alamy Live News
Young tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz played his first match on grass this year in the Hurlingham exhibition event against Frances Tiafoe.
The Spaniard did not have an outing to remember as he lost in straight sets to the American 4-6, 2-6. Alcaraz recently practiced with three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka prior to the Hurlingham event. The current No. 7 ranked player has not played too much tennis on the grass court. He lost in the second round of the 2021 Wimbledon to Daniil Medvedev.
Carlos Alcaraz was not at his best during the match against Tiafoe. The American gleefully accepted any opportunity he was given to win the match comprehensively. The lackluster performance from the 19-year-old could be attributed to the fact that he has not played since his French Open quarter-final loss to Alexander Zverev. This was because he was resting an elbow issue. There is another school of thought doing the rounds regarding Alcaraz’s vulnerability on grass. We feel it’s too early to judge the youngster as he has not played much in the greenery. He has all the necessary tools to succeed on any surface.
The two players were seen chatting during the changeovers. They got some much-needed practice before the most prestigious event in tennis gets underway next week.
After the match, Alcaraz took to Twitter and admitted that there is room for improvement. He promised his fans that he will give his 100% to get better.
In a reply to his previous tweet, Alcaraz posted a photo of himself and Tiafoe and congratulated the 24-year-old for his victory.
More Tennis news
Follow our dedicated Tennis page for instant Tennis news and updates