Carlos Alcaraz becomes youngest match winner at Majors since 2014

In a battle of two qualifiers, the 17-year-old Carlos Alcaraz defeated Botic Van de Zandschulp 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 for his first triumph at Majors, the first for the 2003 generation!

Read also

2021 Australian Open Prize Money with A$71.5 million up for grabs

Thus, Carlos became the youngest winner of a Major match since Thanasi Kokkinakis here in Melbourne in 2014, adding another milestone to his already impressive list of achievements. The Spaniard lost serve once and secured five return games to control the pace and the scoreboard, finishing the encounter with 26 winners and 23 unforced errors.

Read also

Rafael Nadal tops Laslo Djere to kick off Australian Open title chase

Alcaraz needed just over 20 minutes to secure the opening set, producing four fantastic holds and two straight breaks for 6-1. Trailing 3-1 in set number two, the Dutch player pulled the break back in game six before Carlos secured another to regain the advantage. Van de Zandschulp fended off a set point in the ninth game and created a break chance in the next one.

Alcaraz saved it with a well-constructed attack and seized the third set point with a smash winner to move two sets to love in front. Servers barely lost a point behind the initial shot in the opening eight games of the third set, and Carlos grabbed a crucial break at 4-4 following his opponent's double fault. Serving for the triumph in game ten, the young Spaniard blasted a forehand down the line winner that carried him into the second round and history books.

Follow all the matches on our live scores page where you can see scores in real-time.