- Defending champion goes through after Koepfer rolls ankle
- Alcaraz hoping for title defence
- Spaniard faces Harris in second round
Carlos Alcaraz, the top seed at the US Open, had an unexpectedly quick evening at Arthur Ashe Stadium. His opponent, Dominik Koepfer, retired just 60 minutes into their match, with Alcaraz in the lead at 6-2, 3-2. Koepfer’s match was abruptly hindered after he rolled his ankle early on. Despite attempting to continue post-treatment, the pain proved overwhelming, forcing his withdrawal. Alcaraz will now face Lloyd Harris in the second round.
Spaniard looks to retain title
“It’s not the ideal way to progress, but I felt great on the court,” commented Alcaraz, donning a striking sleeveless match shirt. Recalling his previous performances, he added, “This court resonates with me. The energy is just as vibrant as last year.”
Alcaraz’s aspirations are set high as he seeks to replicate Roger Federer’s success by defending the men’s US Open title. Federer secured five consecutive titles from 2004-08. However, a rankings shuffle is on the horizon. Despite his ongoing efforts, Alcaraz is poised to drop from the World No.1 spot in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings come 12 September. He will be succeeded by Novak Djokovic, who’s on the advantage with no points at stake from last year’s absence.
Betting Implications
It was an easy start for the top seed, and although he was quick to state that nobody wants to win in this way, the Spanish youngster will benefit from the extra rest. It will not, however, be an easy road if Alcaraz wants to be the first person to win consecutive U.S. Open titles since Roger Federer won five straight (2004-2008). His half of the draw includes both Jannik Skinner and Daniil Medvedev and, of course, the man he beat at Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic could lie in wait in the final. Currently, Djokovic is the bookies’ favourite to win the tournament, but Alcaraz is certainly a player worth placing a wager on.
