Cameron Norrie was knocked out in the first round of the Barcelona Open but Carlos Alcaraz progressed after a second-set battle as he targets back-to-back ATP Tour titles.
Norrie, who came through qualifying to reach the main draw in Spain, won the first set against Karen Khachanov before falling to a 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-3 defeat on Tuesday.
The Brit lost in qualifying for last week’s Monte-Carlo Masters and has not won a main-draw match since reaching the third round at Indian Wells in March, an event won by his compatriot Jack Draper.
Alcaraz made to work by American qualifier
Monte-Carlo Masters champion Alcaraz reached the second round as he extended his winning streak to six matches with a 6-2 7-6 (8-6) victory over American qualifier Ethan Quinn.
Carlos Alcaraz won the Monte-Carlo Masters on Sunday
Alcaraz – who beat Lorenzo Musetti in Monte Carlo on Sunday to secure his sixth ATP 1000 title and first in that tournament – broke Quinn twice in the first set but found things tougher in the second.
The Spaniard slipped 3-1 down and then had to fend off a set point in the tie-break before he rubberstamped a last-16 meeting with Laslo Djere as he pushes for a third Barcelona Open title, after successive victories in 2022 and 2023.
Alcaraz missed the 2024 edition due to injury, with Casper Ruud winning instead.
Ruud through as De Minaur clinches Fearnley showdown
Ruud and third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas – the player Ruud overcame in last year’s final – also progressed in straight sets on Tuesday, seeing off Daniel Elahi Galan 6-4 6-3 and Reilly Opelka 6-2 6-2 respectively.
Jacob Fearnley plays Alex de Minaur in the last 16 on Thursday
Fifth seed Alex de Minaur did not drop a set either as he beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-4 6-4 to secure a last-16 showdown with Britain’s Jacob Fearnley on Thursday.
However, ninth seed Frances Tiafoe was defeated 2-6 7-5 6-1 by unseeded Spaniard Jaune Munar, a week after losing in the second round at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Over at the WTA event in Rouen, Britain’s Harriet Dart was beaten 6-0 6-3 by home wild card Lois Boisson.
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