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After conquering the US Open, the 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest world no. 1. The Spaniard is yet to find the rhythm after climbing to the ATP throne, losing two out of three matches and hoping for a better run in Basel.
Carlos played his first ATP tournament as world no. 1 in Astana and experienced a 7-5, 6-3 loss to a lucky loser David Goffin in an hour and 46 minutes. Thus, Carlos became the first player since Lleyton Hewitt at the 2002 Australian Open who lost the first match in the ATP tournaments as world no.
1! Hewitt stayed in the top-10 for the entire year in 2001 and claimed the Masters Cup to take the ATP throne, standing as the youngest player in that group before Alcaraz passed him. Lleyton was the top seed at the 2002 Australian Open, hoping for a good run in front of the home fans.
Instead, the Aussie fell to Alberto Martin 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 in three hours and 33 minutes. Lleyton struggled physically in the previous weeks, and he would not have played the event if it was not a Major.
Carlos Alcaraz lost in R1 in his first ATP tournament as world no.
1.
The Aussie made a strong start but knew it would be a tough day at the office for him. The Spaniard bounced back in the second set and took charge in the third to move closer to the finish line. Lleyton was a break in front twice in the fourth set before Alberto leveled the score at 4-4.
Hewitt led 3-0 in the tie break before losing five of the following six points. The home star sprayed two backhand errors at 4-5 to hit the exit door. Over 20 years later, Alcaraz lost in the first round at his first ATP tournament as world no.
1. Goffin earned a chance to play in the main draw and seized it with both hands. The Belgian prevailed in the opener and sealed the deal in the second, moving into the second round and delivering the Spaniard's first straight-sets loss in 2022.
David saved seven out of ten break points and turned over half of the return points into five breaks that carried him home. Goffin saved three break points in the encounter's first game and missed two break points in game two.
They traded breaks in games three and four before the Belgian fired a smash winner in the sixth game to open a 4-2 gap. Alcaraz broke back at love in game nine to extend the set and held at 15 a few minutes later for 5-5. Goffin started all over and broke Alcaraz in game 12 to claim the opener 7-5 in an hour.
David grabbed a break in the second set's second game and fended off three break points in the next one for 3-0. Goffin produced another return game at 4-1 and served for the victory in the next one. Carlos made one last push and pulled one break back in game seven before holding after deuce for 3-5. David served for the victory for the second time in game nine and held at 30 to emerge at the top.