Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev both won in straight sets to begin their China Open title aspirations on Friday, while Zhang Shuai, ranked 595th, shocked the women’s draw. Four-time major winner Alcaraz overcame fellow 21-year-old Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-4, and will face Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in the second round in Beijing. Alcaraz, who lost in the second round of the US Open last month, got off to a quick start against the 51st-ranked Frenchman, breaking serve in the first game. The Spanish second seed then had three break points when serving for the first set, but he saved all of them on his way to a commanding victory.
Alcaraz began the second set in the same manner, breaking his opponent and sealing an easy victory on the first match point. The Spaniard’s sole setback came when he was handed a second-time violation when serving for the opening set. Medvedev, the Russian third seed who fell to current number one Jannik Sinner in last year’s final, easily defeated veteran Gael Monfils.
The 2021 US Open winner overcame the 38-year-old 6-3, 6-4, and will face another Frenchman, Adrian Mannarino, in the second round on Saturday. The Italian Sinner, who just won the US Open, will face 69th-ranked Russian Roman Safiullin on the same day. Zhang Shuai looks stunning. Zhang, a Chinese wildcard who won her first singles match in almost 600 days, defeated US Open semi-finalist Emma Navarro 6-4, 6-2.
Despite being the lowest-ranked player to ever compete in the main draw of the WTA 1000 tournament, Zhang, 35, has advanced to the third round. Zhang, who has two Grand Slam doubles titles, continued her winning streak by crushing American sixth seed Navarro in front of a jubilant home crowd. Zhang, a former top 25 player troubled by injuries, will face Belgium’s Greet Minnen next.
She appeared as surprised as everyone else that she had defeated Navarro, who had reached the last four in New York only a few weeks before. “I like to surprise everybody,” Zhang stated with a smile. Jessica Pegula, a US Open finalist, has also advanced to the third round after defeating Diane Parry of France 6-1, 7-6 (7/4). Naomi Osaka joined her, as the four-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one rallied to overcome 21st seed Yulia Putintseva 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
“I wanted to show myself or tell myself that I can fight and win a match without playing as perfectly as I wanted to,” said Osaka, who is presently ranked 73rd and has failed to win a tournament since returning to tennis in January after giving birth to her daughter Shai. The 26-year-old Japanese is competing in her maiden event under Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams’ famed former coach.