Alcaraz breaks into the round of 16 after overcoming the obstacle of Korda

MADRID, 27 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz signed a notable victory against the American Sebastian Korda (6-4, 6-4 and 6-2) in a match that exceeded the two-hour duration by nine minutes and that allowed him to become the youngest player who accesses the round of 16 in the history of Roland Garros.

Alcaraz's pulse did not tremble despite the rival in front of him. The Murcian was facing the only tennis player capable of knocking him down this season on clay, but he was above the precedents. A perfect match that gives him the ticket to the round of 16, where he will face the Russian Karen Khachanov.

"It's incredible, I really enjoyed the game, I love playing with this crowd," said Alcaraz after sweeping Korda on a night where everything went well for the Spanish tennis player in his second professional match on the Philippe Chatrier court. "I have a good time playing tennis, I have a good time on these types of courts," he added cheekily.

Alcaraz started decisively and in the third game he had already broken Korda's serve. Quite a declaration of intent, especially when the Spanish had a hard time in the fifth round. His volley near the net gave her wings to keep her composure and close the first set with an outstanding 6-4.

Korda tried to get up from the stumble but again found severe resistance in the Spaniard, insatiable from the bottom of the court and capable of executing magical blows that seemed lost to any human. That vitality -and another break midway through the second set- put the player from El Palmar at an advantage, more comfortable than anyone would have imagined in such a scenario.

Not even his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, gave credit from the stands to the ease with which his pupil was dispatching the main stumbling block in this Roland Garros after last Wednesday's rush. In the third set everything was easier, with a run down Korda and a grown Alcaraz, the Murcian was impossible to stop with his 'drive'.

The final 6-2 reflects the superiority of this emerging youngster who continues to knock down doors in tennis history. His next target will be the Russian Khachanov, seeded number 21 in Paris, before a hypothetical duel against the German Alexander Zverev or the also Spanish Bernabé Zapata, one of the surprises of the tournament.