Carlos Alcaraz will wade into uncharted waters because the two-time grand slam champion vies to enter the Australian Open’s second week.
When the 20-year-old famous person meets Juncheng Shang on Saturday, it would mark his first contest in opposition to a youthful participant throughout his 200-match tour profession.
A 12 months on from making the second spherical at Melbourne Park, 18-year-old Shang has gone one higher in 2024 with wins over American Mackenzie McDonald and Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal.
The Chinese teenager is in red-hot kind, having additionally crushed world No.17 Frances Tiafoe on his technique to a primary ATP Tour semi-final in Hong Kong earlier this month.
Alcaraz stated he had adopted Shang’s deep run in Hong Kong however was planning to check his rival’s newer matches in a bid to keep away from a boilover.
“What I’ve seen so far from him, he’s an unbelievable player,” stated the Spanish second seed.
“He’s ready to make a good result. I have to be focused on that, and I will prepare as best as I can.”
Alcaraz, who missed final 12 months’s Australian Open via harm, has by no means been past the third spherical at Melbourne Park.
Seven-time main champion turned commentator John McEnroe prompt the Spaniard was beneath his scintillating finest in Thursday’s four-set win over Italian Lorenzo Sonego.
“That was the ‘B’ Carlos Alcaraz, but he did what he had to do,” McEnroe stated on Eurosport.
Shang, who counts Alcaraz’s compatriot Rafael Nadal amongst his greatest idols, is approaching the Rod Laver Arena encounter as a studying alternative.
“(I have) low expectations … just to enjoy every point, every moment out there, try to learn,” he stated.
“(Alcaraz) is a little bit older than me, already one of the best players on tour. It’s going to be great. I’m going to have fun.”
Whatever occurs, China could have a girl via to the final 16 on Saturday, as twelfth seed Qinwen Zheng and Emma Raducanu-slayer Yafan Wang face off in spherical three.
World No.1 Iga Swiatek’s conflict with Czech Linda Noskova, and two-time Open champion Victoria Azarenka’s date with Latvia’s No.11 seed Jelena Ostapenko headline the ladies’s singles motion on day seven.
On the lads’s facet, world No.3 Daniil Medvedev backs up from his late-finishing five-set victory in opposition to Canada’s No.27 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, whereas Olympic champion Alexander Zverev tackles American Alex Michelsen.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
