Alcaraz prevails over Hanfmann in Melbourne
Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz reached the third round Wednesday at the Australian Open, defeating Germany's Yannick Hanfmann in a tough match for the Spaniard, who prevailed 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2.
"I knew [Hanfmann] was going to play great," Alcaraz said. "I knew his level. We'd played a few times already. But to be honest, it was tougher than I thought."
"The ball was coming as a bomb -- forehand, backhand -- so I had to be ready for that," Alcaraz added.
Alcaraz, 22, is trying to win his first title at Melbourne Park to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.
"I didn't see myself playing that good, but then talking to my team, I realized that I played better than I thought," Alcaraz said. "I'm still getting used to the conditions, getting used to playing better."
No. 3 Alexander Zverev, who lost last year's final to Jannik Sinner, had to wait through a half-hour rain delay and concern over a sore left ankle before beating Alexandre Muller 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Zverev was leading the fourth set 2-1 and serving at 15-0 when he had to stop the match, sit in a courtside chair and ask to see the medical team.
"I took a painkiller. It was fine after that," he said. "I was a bit scared because it was toward the Achilles tendon. I just wanted the physio to check it out. After the medical timeout I was moving fine, playing fine."
He was playing on John Cain Arena, the third of Melbourne Park's arenas with a retractable roof, where only ground pass tickets are needed for entry. So on a day with a massive crowd, it was still full late.
"The atmosphere is insane. The crowd is wild," Zverev said. "I love playing here."
With 103,720 fans, the combined numbers for day and night sessions set a full-day record for the third time in four days of the main draw at the season-opening major.
Local hope and No. 6 seed Alex de Minaur beat Hamad Medjedovic 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena around the same time.
"I weathered the storm. He was hitting the ball really big and deep," said de Minaur, who is aiming to end a long drought for Aussie men at the home Grand Slam event. "I'm super happy to battle my way through."
He next faces No. 29 Frances Tiafoe, who beat Francisco Comesana 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
In other men's results, 2021 US Open winner and 11th-seeded Daniil Medvedev beat Quentin Halys 6-7 (9), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, 13th-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Jaime Faria 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, and 19th-seeded Tommy Paul defeated Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
No. 10 Alexander Bublik, No. 25 Learner Tien and No. 26 Cameron Norrie progressed along with No. 14 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who won the first two sets but then had to struggle to beat big-serving American Reilly Opelka 6-3, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 4-6, 6-4.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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