Carlos Alcaraz didn’t even need to play a full match to advance to the fourth round of the Australia Open.
The second-seeded Spaniard earned a 6-1, 6-1, 1-0 victory when China’s Juncheng Shang retired due to an injury Friday in Melbourne.
Alcaraz, the 2022 U.S. Open champion and 2023 Wimbledon champion, already has his best career result in the Australian Open. In his previous two appearances, he lost in the second and third round.
Next up for Alcaraz is a matchup against Miomir Kecmanovic. The Serbian saved two match points in the fourth-set tiebreaker before emerging with a 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-0 win over the United States’ Tommy Paul.
“It was supposed to be my day, I guess,” Kecmanovic said postmatch. “I had a bit more luck and played some fantastic tennis in the end. I’m really happy to be in the fourth round again.”
Kecmanovic has matched the best result of his Grand Slam career, a fourth-round appearance in Australia two years ago. Paul reached the semifinals in Melbourne last year.
In other early Saturday action, ninth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz of Poland defeated 21st-seeded Ugo Humbert of France 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-3 thanks in part to a 17-4 edge in aces.
Hurkacz advanced to face France’s Arthur Cazaux, who upset 28th-seeded Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.
–Field Level Media