Carlos Alcaraz outclasses Facundo Bagnis to ensure Miami Open title defence gets off to perfect start
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Updated 25/03/2023 at 10:35 GMT
Carlos Alcaraz's imperious form in 2023 continues. Having already won titles at the Argentina Open and Indian Wells after his return from injury, the world No. 1 breezed past Facundo Bagnis in his opening match at Miami Open to get his title defence off to the ideal start. Alcaraz bagelled his Argentine opponent in the first set before easing his way through the second in just over an hour.
Alcaraz races past Bagnis and into last 32 in Miami
Carlos Alcaraz has raced through to the third round of Miami Open with a convincing 6-0 6-2 win over world No. 100 Facundo Bagnis.
The world No. 1, who must win the Miami title to retain the accolade, wasted no time on court as he powered his way past the Argentine in one hour and six minutes to extend his head-to-head record against the clay-court specialist to 4-0.
Alcaraz will play Andy Murray's conqueror Dusan Lajovic or No. 30 seed Maxime Cressy in the third round as he bids to retain his Miami title.
"I knew that I needed to be focused for my first match," Alcaraz said after the match.
"To start a new tournament is never easy. 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 the way that I played."
Alcaraz got off to a rapid start with a love break on the Bagnis serve. The Spaniard won 12 of the first 14 points of the match to race into a 3-0 lead after only seven minutes of play.
Bagnis could not match Alcaraz's intensity around the court and Alcaraz converted his fourth break point of the fifth game to go 5-0 up. He served out the 23-minute opening set with a love hold of serve to complete the bagel.
Alcaraz broke immediately in the opening game of the second set. Bagnis squandered his only break point of the match in the next game as Alcaraz held firm.
A loud round of applause rippled around Stadium court when Bagnis won his first game of the match to make it 2-1 and quite remarkably he broke back to love to level at 2-2.
But Alcaraz instantly responded by restoring his break advantage, and there was little sign of a Bagnis comeback as Alcaraz served for the match after sealing a double break.
The 19-year-old served out the match in relatively comfortable fashion, sealing victory with a deep forehand winner which caught the baseline.
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