Carlos Alcaraz rounds off his postponed debut in Rio de Janeiro

The number two in the world added the game that did not give him time yesterday with the rain and will now face Fognini

Ramos works his way to the second round and Zapata eliminates Munar

MADRID, 22 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Spanish tennis player Carlo Alcaraz finished off his debut at the ATP tournament in Rio de Janeiro this Wednesday by signing the game he needed to win (6-4, 6-4) against the Brazilian Mateus Alves, while Albert Ramos also advanced to the second round and Bernabe Zapata.

Alcaraz, defending champion and first seed, had not been able to complete his debut on Tuesday due to the rain that fell in the capital of Brazil, but he did not give the option of surprise to meet now with the Italian Fabio Fognini. The world number two, recent champion in Buenos Aires in his first tournament of 2023, finished taming Sousa’s self-confidence, after the 6-4, 5-3 with which the match was interrupted the day before without such a forceful game like the one shown in Argentina after more than 100 without playing.

In the restart, the local player won his serve and, later, Alcaraz did the same without problems. Meanwhile, Ramos also had to resume his postponed premiere, but a set down against the Argentine Tomás Martín Etcheverry. The Catalan forced the third set with a decisive break to make it 6-4 in the second, but the Argentine warmed up in an intense battle where Ramos saved nine break balls and killed the rest again. The Catalan will now face the Colombian Daniel Galán.

In addition, Zapata, a recent semifinalist in Buenos Aires, defeated Jaume Munar 6-3, 7-5 in the duel of Spaniards, demonstrating the confidence he gained last week. In the second round, the Valencian will face precisely one of his illustrious victims in the Argentine capital, as was Francisco Cerúndolo.