Carlos Alcaraz began the defence of his French Open title with a commanding straight-sets victory, brushing aside Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in just under two hours.
The 22-year-old Spaniard, who is aiming to become the first man since compatriot Rafael Nadal in 2020 to retain the Roland Garros crown, admitted he had braced himself for a more difficult start to the tournament.
“I expected a worse level for me, honestly,” said the world number two following his win. “The first round for every tournament is never easy – to adapt your game to the conditions and get used to it. I’m just really proud about it. It is great to have these feelings in the first round.”
Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam winner, has been dominant on clay over the past year, winning 27 of his last 29 matches on the surface since May 2024. He claimed titles in Monte Carlo and Rome during this year’s clay-court season and reached the final in Barcelona, where he lost to Holger Rune. His only tournament win on hard courts this season came in Rotterdam, with a shock first-round defeat to David Goffin in Miami casting a shadow over his early season form.
Reflecting on the year so far, Alcaraz said: “We all know the rollercoaster that has so far been this year for me – making really good results, then losing the first round. But right now I think I found a really good path again.”
He added: “I think I’m just starting to get it, feeling more comfortable approaching the matches. Once I start the matches, I think I’m just keeping the high level in the whole match and during the whole tournament.”
Alcaraz now holds a 19-3 record at Roland Garros and will face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in the second round.