Alcaraz enjoys, wins in his premiere and even dares to wear a mustache in Shanghai

Tokyo, Shanghai and there was still a long way to go before the Christmas holidays. The Asian hard court tour used to be an ordeal for Carlos Alcaraz. In previous seasons, already in the fall, with accumulated fatigue, his batteries ran out between Japan and China, where he suffered abrupt defeats, physical problems and setbacks of all kinds. The Shanghai Masters 1000 is, in fact, one of the three tournaments in this category that are still missing from their record, along with the one in Paris, which will arrive later. But this season everything is different.

The injury to his right wrist has allowed him to reach this point in the course with an unusual rest and with the aim of winning everything he can: Shanghai, Paris and, later, the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup. The legs respond, the tennis flows, the motivation is through the roof. This Saturday, in his debut in the Chinese tournament, Alcaraz confirmed that he is going all out with a resounding victory against the Argentine Juan Manuel Cerúndolo (6-3 and 6-3) in just one hour and six minutes.

There was barely a game. Alcaraz, still with the good feelings of the title won this week at the ATP 500 in Tokyo, was too much for an opponent incapable of finding winning shots that would put him in trouble. In the first games, while Cerúndolo held on, supported by his good first serve, the Spaniard waited for his opportunity. But as soon as the first break came, the resistance was gone. Alcaraz accelerated, imposed a devilish speed with the serve and the forehand and turned the match into an exercise in dominance. He did not concede a single breaking ball, he hit eight aces and advanced smoothly to victory.

It was even decorated in more than one way, playful, like on the best days. He entertains himself with his tennis, with his people, in a sweet moment. In Shanghai, in fact, he appeared with a new change of look, this one more risky than the previous ones. He has added a mustache to the mane of hair developed after months and months without cutting his hair as part of an inside joke with his team.