Australian Open | Alcaraz, Djokovic and Zverev advance to third round

(Melbourne) Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz continued his run at the Australian Open tennis tournament by winning 6-0, 6-1 and 6-4 against Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka on Wednesday.

Alcaraz (third), last year’s French Open champion, needed only 82 minutes to advance to the third round. He slammed 14 aces and won 89% of rallies with his first serve ball.

Nishioka (65^e) erased four of his opponent’s 10 break points. He was not able to give himself a single break point.

“The less time you spend on the court during Grand Slam tournaments, especially at the start of the tournament, the better it will be, especially physically,” Alcaraz commented. I just try to focus on spending as little time as possible [sur le terrain]. »

Alcaraz, who has won at least once the other three major tournaments, will face the Portuguese Nuno Borges (33) in the third round.^e), who defeated the Australian Jordan Thompson (27^e) 6-3, 6-2 et 6-4.

The Serbian Novak Djokovic (seventh) also continued his path with a victory of 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3 and 6-2 against the Portuguese Jaime Faria (125^e).

Djokovic, who is looking for a 25^e Grand Slam title, competed in a 430^e match at major tournaments, breaking a tie with Roger Federer.

“I have been competing in Grand Slam tournaments at the highest level for over 20 years,” he told the crowd. Whether I win or lose, one thing is certain: I give my all on the pitch. »

Casper Ruud eliminated

Seeded N.6, the Norwegian Casper Ruud was eliminated in the second round, beaten in four sets by the young Czech Jakub Mensik 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

A triple Grand Slam finalist, at Roland Garros (twice) and at the US Open, Ruud has never gone beyond the round of 16 in Melbourne (2021). In 2024, he was eliminated in the third round by the Briton Cameron Norrie.

Except in the second set, where he managed to keep his serve despite conceding three break points, the Norwegian suffered against the accuracy and power of Mensik, author of 22 aces and 62 winning shots for only 35 unforced errors.

After the 2024 US Open, the 19-year-old Czech (48^e world) reached the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the second consecutive time.

In the next round he will face the Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (66^e) or the Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime (23^e), whom he had beaten in the first round at Flushing Meadows.

Zverev in the third round after another victory in three sets

World No.2 Alexander Zverev won without delay against the Spaniard Pedro Martinez (44^e).

The 27-year-old German, seeking his first Grand Slam title in Melbourne, won 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 against a player he had already beaten in their only previous meeting, in May last on clay at the ATP 500 in Hamburg.

Zverev will face Briton Jacob Fearnley (92) for a place in the round of 16^e), who eliminated Frenchman Arthur Cazaux (78) on Wednesday^e) in four rounds.

Double finalist in Grand Slam (2020 US Open and 2024 Roland-Garros), the world No.2 reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open twice, in 2020 and 2024.

Title holder in Melbourne, world No.1 Jannik Sinner will play his 2nd on Thursday^e round against the Australian Tristan Schoolkate (173^e), beneficiary of an invitation from the tournament organizers.

With Agence France-Presse