Alcaraz sets Fognini clash at Rio

In a match that was suspended on Tuesday at 5-3 in the second set, top-seeded Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz won against 556th-ranked wildcard Mateus De Carvalho Cardoso Alves 6-4, 6-4 to move into the second round of the Rio Open at the Jockey Club Brasileiro in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday night.

“It was tougher than I thought,” Alcaraz said after the match. “I always say it’s not easy to change the conditions. I came from Buenos Aires, it’s different conditions. Coming here, it’s not easy to start a tournament well but I’m really happy with my performance.”

Alcaraz, ranked No 2, will play Italian Fabio Fognini next. The Buenos Aires champion improves to 5-0 on the season.

“I know Fabio is playing great, he’s obviously a great player so I have to show a great level to beat him,” Alcaraz said of the 35-year-old Italian. “He’s a very talented player, experienced player as well. Of course playing against him is going to be a really tough round.”

Alcaraz won the pair’s lone meeting last year in the semi-finals at Rio, 6-2, 7-5.

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Tennis Majors

Rio de Janeiro ATP500, other first-round results (Jockey Club Brasileiro, clay, USD 2.013.940, most recent results first):

• Thomaz Bellucci vs. Sebastian Baez
• Fabio Fognini beat Tomas Barrios Vera (Q): 6-2, 6-3
• Albert Ramos-Vinolas vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry: wednesday
• Dusan Lajovic beat Diego Schwartzman (5): 6-1, 6-4
• Bernabe Zapata Miralles beat Jaume Munar: 6-3, 7-5
• Cameron Norrie (2) beat Juan Manuel Cerundolo (LL): 7-5, 6-1
• Francisco Cerundolo (4) beat Roberto Carballes Baena: 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
• Daniel Elahi Galan beat Pedro Cachin: 7-6 (4), 6-4
• Juan Pablo Varillas beat Hugo Gaston (Q): 7-5, 6-4
• Nicolas Jarry (Q) beat Lorenzo Musetti (3): 6-4, 6-1
• Laslo Djere beat Facundo Bagnis (Q): 6-2, 3-2 ret.
• Thiago Monteiro beat Dominic Thiem: 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (2)
• Hugo Dellien beat João Sousa: 6-0, 6-2
• Alex Molcan (9) beat Joao Fonseca (WC): 6-0, 6-3
• Pedro Martinez beat Cristian Garin: 7-6, 6-4