Defending champs Alcaraz and Sabalenka win opening matches at Madrid Open
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, returns the ball to Magda Linette, of Poland, during the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Manu Fernandez]
MADRID (AP) — Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has won his opening match at the Madrid Open in his first match in nearly a month. The third-ranked Alcaraz brushed aside Alexander Shevchenko 6-2, 6-1 on the outdoor clay inside the Caja Magica on Friday. Alcaraz was coming off a right arm injury that kept him from playing in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. He doubted this week he would play in Spain’s capital. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka had a tougher opening match as she needed three seats to beat Magda Linette.
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Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, returns the ball to Alexander Shevchenko, of Kazakhstan, during the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Manu Fernandez