Daily Times

TORONTO: World number one Carlos Alcaraz began the buildup to his U.S. Open title defence with an untidy 6-3 7-6 (3) win over Ben Shelton on Wednesday to move into the third round of the Canadian Open. Seeing his first action since his tour de force performance winning Wimbledon, the 20-year-old took a moment to find his footing on the Canadian hardcourt. But the outcome was never in doubt, stretching his match win streak to 13. Alcaraz was slow out of blocks as he shook off some competitive rust fighting off three break points before holding serve in a tense eight-minute first game. But the Spaniard, a perfect 10-0 in first-round contests this year, was soon in command, with Shelton helping Alcaraz’s cause by double-faulting on break point in the fourth game to gift his opponent a 3-1 lead that was all he would need to clinch the opener. Alcaraz was far from top form, but the 41st ranked American, who has only one career win over a top-10 opponent, could not take advantage, misfiring on chances when he had them. In the second set it was Alcaraz showing frustration, gesturing to his box and talking to himself after missing shots that are normally automatic winners when he is operating in a higher gear. Neither player could manage a break chance, sending the set to a tie-break where Alcaraz’s experience in the big moment came through. He reeled off four straight points after Shelton won the first, taking it to 7-3. Next up for Alcaraz is Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, who was a 5-7 6-3 6-0 winner over Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic. A pair of 36-year-old veterans, Scot Andy Murray and Frenchman Gael Monfils, rolled back the years and into the third round with contrasting wins. Monfils upset fourth-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 6-3, while Murray, a three-time champion in Canada, battled past Australian Max Purcell 7-6 (2) 3-6 7-5. Second-seed Daniil Medvedev, competing for the first time since losing to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon semi-finals, dominated proceedings from the baseline during his 6-2 7-5 win over Italian qualifier Matteo Arnaldi. Eighth-seed American Taylor Fritz, who followed up his Atlanta title with a run to the semi-finals last week in Washington, advanced with a 7-6(7) 3-6 6-3 win over Frenchman Ugo Humbert.