Carlos Alcaraz Advances to Second Round of 2023 US Open as Dominik Koepfer Retires Due to Injury

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain had a smooth start to his 2023 US Open campaign as he advanced to the second round after a match cut short by an unfortunate injury. Alcaraz, the top seed, was facing Germany's Dominik Koepfer at the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

 

The match got off to a dramatic start when Koepfer, ranked World No. 75, twisted his ankle just six points into the game. This injury occurred while he was moving backward, trying to return a powerful stroke by Alcaraz that sailed beyond the baseline. Despite the pain, the 29-year-old German soldiered on, seeking treatment after the first game.

 

Koepfer displayed remarkable determination, managing to secure two games in each of the first two sets. However, as the second set progressed, the discomfort from his ankle injury became too much to bear. At this point, with Alcaraz leading 6-2, 3-2, Koepfer made the difficult decision to retire from the match.

 

Carlos Alcaraz, who is just 20 years old, expressed sympathy for his opponent, acknowledging the unfortunate turn of events in the first game. He stated, "It was a shame for him in the first game; he got injured with the ankle. Obviously, that's not the best way to get through to another round."

 

Despite the circumstances, Alcaraz was in top form, and he hopes to maintain this level in the next round. His next opponent will be South African Lloyd Harris.

 

Reflecting on his performance at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Alcaraz spoke fondly of the court, saying, "This is a court that I love playing on. Since the first step on the court [tonight], I felt great, I felt amazing—the same energy that I felt last year. It was a great start to the match, and I think I played and felt really well during the match."

 

In other US Open action, Italian Jannik Sinner secured an impressive victory, defeating German Yannick Hanfmann with a commanding score of 6-3, 6-1, 6-1.

 

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