Carlos Alcaraz is two from two at Margaret Court Arena at this year's Australian Open. World no. 3 faced Yoshihito Nishioka in the second round in Melbourne and earned a dominant 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 triumph in an hour and 81 minutes.
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The Spaniard fired 14 aces and dropped 11 points in his games, facing no break points and mounting the pressure on the other side. Yoshihito could not follow that pace, especially in the opening two sets. The Japanese took only one game and fell behind.
He fought better in the third set but the favorite sealed the deal with a break in the middle of the set. Carlos dictated the pace and fired 36 winners and 16 unforced errors. The 21-year-old outplayed his rival in the shortest and mid-range exchanges, bringing the win home in style.
Alcaraz needed 18 minutes to wrap up the opening set after a dominant display. He landed an ace in the first game for a hold atlove. Yoshihito hit a double fault in the second game and suffered a break at 15. The young gun cemented it with a powerful serve and moved 3-0 up.
World no. 3 provided another break in the fourth game after a loose backhand from his opponent. He held at love with a service winner in game five and cracked a forehand down the line winner in the next one for another break and a bagel in under 20 minutes!
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The second set was barely more extended, with Carlos taking charge on serve and return. He grabbed a break in the second game after Nishioka's double fault and painted an ace in the next one for a 6-0, 3-0 advantage after 31 minutes!
The four-time Major winner secured the fifth game with a service winner and landed a drop shot winner in the next one for another break and a 5-1 lead. The Spaniard forced the rival's error in game seven, opening a 6-0, 6-1 lead in 43 minutes!
Yoshihito defended two break points early in the third set, already doing better than in the previous two. Alcaraz closed the fourth game with a drop shot winner for 2-2. He attacked on the return in the next one and drew the opponent's mistake for a break and a 3-2 advantage.
Carlos cemented it with an ace in game six and held after a deuce two games later for 5-3. Nishioka produced a fine hold while serving to stay in the match, reducing the gap to 5-4. However, Alcaraz moved over the top with a forehand down the line winner in game ten, sailing into the last 32.
