Carlos Alcaraz has returned to tennis with a characteristically unpredictable win over Damir Džumhur.
In a match that, on paper, the Spaniard should win with ease, he was dragged into a contest where, at one point, he found himself a break down in the third set.
Given how the match started, with the world number two storming into a 6-1 lead, it felt like the event would last no longer than an hour. Alas, the Bosnian battled back to claim the second set 6-2, stunning the Cincinnati Open crowd and those watching from home.
However, we had seen this all before.
It’s become a staple of Carlos Alcaraz’s game to drag out these matches against lesser opponents, and it’s a testament to how even the match was that he only managed to convert five break points to his opponent’s three.
Having finally served the match out, the two competitors approached at the net and exchanged a few brief words.
Carlos Alcaraz and Damir Džumhur exchange words at the net
Given the handshake at the net can often be a place for bitterness and vitriol, it was refreshing to see these two actually take one another, arm in arm, as they approached the chair umpire.
Having done battle in Paris earlier this year, in yet another impressive showing for Dzumhur, the mutual respect between both of these players was evident.
As such, the loser on this occasion told Alcaraz: “It’s a pleasure as always”
In return, the 22-year-old thanked him and agreed as the crowd applauded Dzumhur off the court, thanking him for his efforts in creating yet another spectacle with Alcaraz, this time at the Cincinnati Open.
Carlos Alcaraz is always in danger in the early rounds of tournaments
It feels like, despite having had plenty of time off since the Wimbledon final, that Alcaraz is always most in danger of losing in the early rounds of tournaments.
After all, some of his greatest titles won this year came after scares earlier in the event, just like at Roland Garros, where Dzumhur pushed him hard and even grabbed a set off him, as did Fábián Marozsán.
Then, at Wimbledon, he was dragged into a five-set epic against Fabio Fognini, failed to comprehensively beat the world number 733 Ollie Tarvet, and dropped another set to Jan-Lennard Struff.
Yesterday’s match can be somewhat justified given he has struggled with the conditions here, outlined last year, when Alcaraz played the worst match of his life in Cincinnati, in his words.
If you are going to beat Alcaraz, unless you are Jannik Sinner, it feels like it must come as early in the competition as possible.
After all, once he picks up steam, the five-time Grand Slam champion swiftly becomes a near-unstoppable force.
