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Rising Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz couldn't hide his happiness after clinching his maiden Masters win in Madrid on Monday. Alcaraz, ranked at No. 120 in the world, handed a 6-4 6-0 loss to French Adrian Mannarino in the Madrid Masters first round.
“I am really, really happy. This is a special win for me here in Spain, here at La Caja Magica,” Alcaraz said in his post-match interview, per the ATP website. “[To] win a Masters 1000 match here is amazing”.
Alcaraz plays next fellow.compatriot and his idol Rafael Nadal. "For me, [to] play against Rafa is a dream come true,” Alcaraz said. “Since I was a kid, I wished to play a match against Rafa and now I will be able to here [on] the Centre Court of La Caja Magica in Madrid.
It is a really special match against Rafa”.
Alcaraz dominated Mannarino in the second set
"I started the match a little bit nervous,” Alcaraz said. “I tried to play aggressive to get the nerves out and tried to enjoy playing here, in front of a big crowd in Madrid”.
Elsewhere, South African Lloyd Harris stunned former world No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov. Harris, ranked at No. 54 in the world, beat Dimitrov in three sets 6-3 3-6 7-6 (5) to progress into the Madrid second round. "It was a big up and down match, [I led by] a set and a break, then [I was] a break up in the third too,” said Harris.
“I got a little bit nervous at the end, but I’m happy to close it out. I started to dictate again at the end”. Harris will fight against Australian Alex de Minaur for a place in the Madrid third round. "He is a very tough opponent and he doesn’t give you much,” said Harris, who is now 10-6 on the season. “We had an epic match in the past”.