Spain's Carlos Alcaraz commenced his journey at the Paris Masters on Tuesday with a commanding 7-5, 6-1 victory over Chile's Nicolas Jarry. Following a bye in the first round, Alcaraz surged ahead 3-0 in the round of 32 but faced a brief comeback from Jarry before securing the first set 7-5. In the second set, Alcaraz dominated, allowing Jarry only one game as he cruised to victory.
"It's been two years since I last won a match here in Paris, so each step forward is a blessing for me," said the 21-year-old Spaniard. "I'm thrilled to have won the opening set, which was crucial for building my confidence heading into the second. I need time to adjust to the court's speed."
With Italian world number one Jannik Sinner withdrawing due to an intestinal virus, Alcaraz is the top contender for the hard court title at Bercy Arena. He will next face either Frenchman Ugo Humbert or American Marcos Giron in the round of 16.
In other matches, Argentine Francisco Cerundolo narrowly defeated Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) in a nearly two-hour-and-20-minute battle. Fresh from winning his first ATP 500 tournament in Vienna, Briton Jack Draper overcame Czech Jiri Lehecka 7-5, 6-2. Poland's 12th seed Hubert Hurkacz suffered a 1-6, 3-6 upset against American Alex Michelsen, with the match lasting just over 50 minutes.
Alex de Minaur kept his ATP Finals hopes alive by defeating Argentina's Mariano Navone 7-5, 6-1. Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas also advanced to the round of 16 with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Chile's Alejandro Tabilo. Holger Rune secured a straightforward 6-4, 6-4 victory over Matteo Arnaldi, while USA's Ben Shelton triumphed in three sets against French hope Corentin Moutet.
In another USA-France clash, 21-year-old French wildcard Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard defeated Frances Tiafoe 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. France's Richard Gasquet, who announced his retirement after next year's French Open, bowed out with a 3-6, 4-6 loss to Belgian Zizou Bergs. Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud, leading 5-1 in the first set, lost to Australian Jordan Thompson 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 4-6.
On Wednesday, Draper will face Taylor Fritz, and third seed Alexander Zverev will take on Tallon Griekspoor.
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