Carlos Alcaraz races into Indian Wells third round to ease fitness concerns

Spanish top seed can return to world No 1 by winning the Masters title in California

Carlos Alcaraz was too strong for Thanasi Kokkinakis in their Indian Wells second-round match. Getty

Carlos Alcaraz raced into the third round of the Indian Wells Masters 1000 on Saturday as the top seed brushed off any concerns about adapting to the conditions in emphatic style.

Spain's second-ranked Alcaraz needed just one hour and 16 minutes to get past Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-3. The US Open champion can return to world No 1 by winning the title, a task made easier by the absence of top-ranked Novak Djokovic, who was unable to compete because of his unvaccinated status against Covid-19.

Alcaraz arrived at Indian Wells after a delayed start to the season due to a hamstring injury. His two tournaments so far this year took place on South American clay courts, winning the Buenos Aires title and reaching the final in Rio de Janeiro - where he was hindered by the injury.

Indian Wells is Alcaraz's first event on hard courts and he lost just one point on his serve in the first set and did not face a break point in the match as he lined up a meeting with Tallon Griekspoor, a 7-6, 7-6 winner over Guido Pella.

"Well, I surprised myself today with my serve," Alcaraz, 19, said. "I serve really well in the first set and in the second set as well."

Early breaks in each set were too much for Kokkinakis to overcome in the face of Alcaraz's speed and power.

"All that I'm looking for in every match is to enjoy and to play relaxed," Alcaraz said. "I think that's the most important part of my game, to stay relaxed and go for it and not to think about the mistakes, the points, the rounds. Just live the moment, play the match, and go for it."

Alcaraz was able to do just that as there was no sign of the right hamstring injury that forced him out of the tournament in Acapulco prior to Indian Wells.

"It seems today that I move really well," Alcaraz said. "I think I'm ready and totally recovered from the injury."

Defending men's champion Taylor Fritz, who toppled Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal in last year's final, had to work harder to get through his second-round opener, a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over 41st-ranked Ben Shelton.

Seventh-seeded Dane Holger Rune and eighth-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced. Rune beat American Mackenzie McDonald 7-5, 6-3 while Auger-Aliassime beat Spain's Pedro Martinez 7-6, 6-4.

Former world No 1 Andy Murray, grinding his way back after hip replacement surgery in 2019, defeated lucky loser Radu Albot 6-4, 6-3 – the Briton's first straight-sets win in a year that has seen him pull off a string of unlikely marathon victories that included a five-set epic lasting five hours and 45 minutes in the second round of the Australian Open.