Melbourne: World no 2 Carlos Alcaraz powered his way into the third round of Australian Open 2024 with a gruelling 6-4, 6-7(3-7), 6-3, 7-6(7-3) victory over Lorenzo Sonego on Thursday.
The Spaniard took three hours and 25 minutes to earn the win at Rod Laver Arena, avenging his straight-sets loss to Sonego in their only other career meeting at the 2021 Cincinnati Masters.
The 20-year-old Spaniard, who fired 43 winners, including 12 aces, will next face the winner of an ongoing battle between Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal and Chinese wildcard Juncheng Shang.
Earlier in the day, Alexander Zverev battled back in a five-set thriller against Slovakian qualifier Lukas Klein narrowly avoided consecutive second-round exits at the Australian Open on Thursday.
The German claimed a 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(7-5), 7-6(10-7) victory after four and a half hours of play in John Cain Arena. The victory is Zverev’s 400th at tour-level.
He will next meet NextGen ATP American Alex Michelsen in the third round.
Minutes before Zverev wrapped up his victory, Casper Ruud also survived a five-setter against home favourite Max Purcell. The Norwegian registered a 6-3, 6-7(5-7), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (10-7) win in Margaret Court Arena.
Ruud will face Britain’s 19th seed Cameron Norrie in the third round.
Norrie set that matchup with a five-set win that concluded soon after the last ball in Ruud’s victory. The Briton stormed back from two sets down to earn a 3-6, 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 victory against Italy’s Giulio Zeppieri.
–IANS