New Delhi, Aug. 11 -- Carlos Alcaraz, the World No. 2 and second seed at the Cincinnati Open, began his campaign with a hard-fought victory over Damir Dzumhur on Sunday (August 10).

While the match ended in a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 win for the Spaniard, it was anything but smooth sailing after a dominant start. Notably, this performance marked Alcaraz's return to hard courts since his early exit in Miami in March.

Carlos Alcaraz began the first set on a high note, overwhelming Dzumhur with powerful groundstrokes and precise play. He wrapped up the opener in just 28 minutes, looking every bit the favorite to cruise through.

However, errors started piling up, and Alcaraz tallied 44 unforced errors overall. His intensity waned, allowing the World ...