BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz rallied to beat Jack Draper 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the first round of the Swiss Indoors on Monday.
Alcaraz clinched with his third match-point chance, firing a forehand winner when following in a strong serve that left-hander Draper stretched to return.
The first Basel tournament since before the COVID-19 pandemic was intended to be Roger Federer’s hometown comeback on tour. But the Swiss great
ended his career last month because of a persistent knee injury.
The 19-year-old Alcaraz and 20-year-old Draper had a combined age of less than Federer’s 41 years, and both were playing for the first time at Basel where he won a record 10 titles from 2006-19.
The 45th-ranked British player broke Alcaraz’s service twice and made just three unforced errors in the first set.