TENNIS – CARLOS Alcaraz withstood a barrage of big hitting from a familiar foe in Yannick Hanfmann in the Australian Open second round yesterday, with fellow top seed Aryna Sabalenka also enduring some shaky moments before sealing progress.
Alexander Zverev’s advance was stalled by rain showers, an injury scare and feisty Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the evening session, but the men’s third seed prevailed in four sets to safely reach the third round.
His equivalent in the women’s draw, Coco Gauff, earlier made short work of Olga Danilovic, while in-form seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and eighth seed Mirra Andreeva also romped through their contests.
After a comfortable win in the opening round, top seed Alcaraz was given more of a workout by Germany’s world number 102 Hanfmann on a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena but rose to the challenge and moved on 7-6(4) 6-3 6-2.
Sabalenka’s issues in the opener on the main showcourt came out of the blue, the Belarusian racing to a 5-0 lead against China’s Bai Zhuoxuan before losing three games in a row.
The world number one refocused and proceeded to mow down Bai the rest of the way, running out a 6-3 6-1 winner to stay on track for her third title at Melbourne Park.
American title contender Gauff was at her ruthlessly efficient best as she crushed Danilovic 6-2 6-2 in bright sunshine but the evening rain meant Italian Paolini had to swap courts to complete her 6-2 6-3 demolition of Magdalena Frech.
Emma Raducanu’s day ended in disappointment as the 2021 US Open champion was beaten 7-6(3) 6-2 by Anastasia Potapova, while Russian teenager Andreeva thumped Maria Sakkari 6-0 6-4.
Zverev, runner up last year and still seeking his first major title, played down fears of a tournament-ending injury after receiving treatment on his lower left leg several times in his 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4 win over Muller.
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