In the second round of the Miami Open, Carlos Alcaraz demonstrated his dominance over Facundo Bagnis, winning without any particular problems. The 19-year-old began the defense of his title, obtained in 2022, in the best possible way.
The world number one started the match impressively, not allowing the Argentine to easily win even a 15. Bagnis struggled to find his footing throughout the match and closed the first set without breaking free, losing 6-0.
The second set was a bit more competitive, with both players holding serve in the opening games. Bagnis gave his serve in the opening game but found a flash in the fourth game, winning the counter-break to zero. However, Alcaraz was unfazed and repaid the opponent with the same coin in the next game.
This time, Alcaraz defended the break very well, indeed locking it with another, leaving Bagnis with just two games obtained and nothing left to do. The match ended with a score of 6-0, 6-2 in favor of Alcaraz.
After the match, the Spaniard expressed his satisfaction with his performance, saying, “Starting a new tournament is never easy, especially in different conditions. I have to be ready to get used to these new conditions, but I was really focused on the match from the beginning and I’m happy with how I played. I try to improve every day. The field is faster, there’s more humidity. Let’s say it’s also a bit more difficult to get used to the conditions in a short period of days. For me it’s a completely different tournament.”
In other matches, Taylor Fritz defeated Emilio Nava with very few problems, while Andrey Rublev overcame a tough J.J. Wolf. Meanwhile, the women’s draw saw some surprises, with Maria Sakkari forced to another marathon match and eventually surrendering to Bianca Andreescu, who won with a significant 6-3, 6-4. Ons Jabeur, the fourth seed, was also eliminated by Varvara Gracheva with a sharp 6-2, 6-2.
Overall, Alcaraz’s impressive performance in the Miami Open second round sends a strong message to his rivals, demonstrating that he is in excellent form and ready to defend his title.