Alcaraz wins Paris Masters opener with dazzling performance

World number two Carlos Alcaraz opened his account at the Paris Masters with a convincing 7-5 6-1 second round victory over Nicolas Jarry on Tuesday.

Alcaraz, who perished at the same stage last year, breezed past the Chilean by hitting 13 winners and only six unforced errors.

“It’s always hard to compare your tennis year to year, but I am in a much better state mentally,” Alcaraz told a press conference.

“I do want to play at my best level at this part of the season. I’m motivated to win this tournament, to make good results. Last year the court was probably slower but it’s difficult to compare.”

The Spaniard will be looking to close the 4300-point gap on world number one Jannik Sinner, who withdrew from the tournament due to a virus.

“It’s never good news when the best player in the world withdraws from a tournament. I wouldn’t meet him before the final but I love to see him playing as a tennis fan,” Alcaraz added.

With reigning champion Novak Djokovic also out of the tournament, French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz will eager to win his fifth title this year.

In the earlier matches, Briton Jack Draper beat Czech Jiri Lehecka 7-5 6-2, Dane 13th seed Holger Rune edged Italian Matteo Arnaldi 6-4 6-4 and Australian ninth seed Alex de Minaur dispatched Mariano Navone 7-5 6-1.

American Alex Michelsen saw off 12th seed Hubert Hurkacz 6-1 6-3.

Other seeds also knocked out of the indoor tournament were Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev, beaten 7-6(6) 7-6(5) by Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, and 14th seed Frances Tiafoe. He was ousted by Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricar 6-7(5) 7-6(4) 6-3.

In the later matches, 10th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece recorded a comfortable 6-3 6-4 win over Alejandro Tabilo before Australian Jordan Thompson defeated seventh seed Casper Rudd 7-6(3) 3-6 6-4.