MARBELLA, April 6, 2021
Seven Spaniards were in first-round singles action at the AnyTech365 Andalucia Open on Tuesday headlined by teen sensation Carlos Alacaraz, who defeated recent Zadar Open champion Nikola Milojevic of Serbia 7-6(3), 6-3.
The 17-year-old wild card entry capitalized on two of his six break-point opportunities to prevail after one hour and 38 minutes.
🇪🇸 @alcarazcarlos03 is back & shining on the #ATPTour
The wildcard in Marbella is into the 2R of the @AndaluciaOpen 👏 pic.twitter.com/KDf221uf68
— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 6, 2021
“I have played a great match and above all I have played with a very high intensity from the beginning to the end,” Alcaraz said. “If I had to give myself a grade it would be a 9, because you can always play better.”
The World No. 133 from Murcia earned his fifth match win of the year, and will now face fellow Spaniard and sixth seed Feliciano Lopez, who turned pro in 1997 – six years before Alcaraz was born. The 39-year-old Toledo native edged past Taro Daniel of Japan 6-4, 6-4 in 87 minutes for a place in the second round at the Club de Tenis Puente Romano in Marbella.
“Playing on Spanish soil gives me extra motivation. I played a good match from start to finish, but I can always improve. I have never played against Feliciano Lopez, but we have a good relationship,” said Alcaraz. “We are good friends outside the court, but it’s going to be a battle on the court.”
Mario Vilella Martinez emerged victorious from the match of two Spanish qualifiers with Bernabe Zapata Miralles, winning 6-2, 6-3. The 25-year-old from Elche sent down four aces and won 73 per cent of his first-service points to advance in one hour and 20 minutes. Vilella Martinez will next challenge Pablo Carreno Busta, his practice partner at the JC Ferrero Sport Academy and top seed of the ATP 250 clay-court tournament at the Costa del Sol.
In other action, Jaume Munar, runner-up to Gianluca Mager at the AnyTech365 Andalucia Open ATP Challenger 80 event last Sunday, eased past Swiss qualifier Henri Laaksonen 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 20 minutes. The 23-year-old from Mallorca will next take on No. 2 seed Fabio Fognini of Italy.
Mager continued his fine run of form with a first-round victory over Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 25 minutes. The Italian currently ranked World No. 91 will next play No. 4 seed Casper Ruud of Norway.
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In the final match of the day on Estadio Manolo Santana, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina fought from a set down to overcome Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-7(1), 6-2, 6-2. The 21-year-old Spaniard won 56 per cent of the total points played to prevail after exactly two hours of play.
“It’s not easy to play the first match at home, [I was] a little bit nervous,” Davidovich Fokina said. “I improved after the first set my game. I was more calm, more hungry to win the game. It was easier to do things.”
Up next for Davidovich Fokina will be Belarusian Ilya Ivashka, who beat Pedro Martinez Portero of Spain 6-3, 7-6(2). The encounter lasted one hour and 43 minutes.
Day ✌️ done & dusted:
🇦🇷 Bagnis d. Cerundolo 🇦🇷
🇧🇾 Ivashka d. Martinez 🇪🇸
🇪🇸 Alcaraz d. Milojevic 🇷🇸
🇪🇸 Lopez d. Daniel 🇯🇵
🇪🇸 Vilella d. Zapata Miralles 🇪🇸
🇪🇸 Munar d. Laaksonen 🇨🇭
🇮🇹 Mager d. Kukushkin 🇰🇿
🇪🇸 Davidovich Fokina d. Dzumhur 🇧🇦#AndaluciaOpen— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 6, 2021
