Paris 2024 Olympics: Carlos Alcaraz pushes through pain to beat Tallon Griekspoor, Dan Evans bows out

Carlos Alcaraz progressed to the third round of the men's singles at the Paris 2024 Olympics after overcoming a fitness issue to beat Tallon Griekspoor in straight sets. The second seed's win came after Britain's Dan Evans was eliminated by Stefanos Tsitsipas, leaving Jack Draper as Team GB's only remaining representative in the singles draw.

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Carlos Alcaraz continued his march at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a 6-1 7-6(3) second-round win over Tallon Griekspoor, but he had to overcome fitness issues along the way.

The No. 2 seed from Spain cruised through the opener but was pushed hard in a 75-minute second set as a tense tie-break was required to split the pair.

Victory continues Alcaraz’s bid for gold in his debut appearance at the Olympic Games, but there will be some concerns over an apparent hip issue that forced him off the court for treatment during a medical timeout midway through the second set.

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Alcaraz faces Romain Safiullin next as his stellar recent form continues.

The 22-year-old won his third career major and first on clay at the French Open in May and followed that by successfully defending his Wimbledon crown.

He showed few signs of slowing down early on against Griekspoor, claiming an immediate break of serve before clinching the double break as he romped through a 32-minute opener.

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But the Dutchman fought back valiantly in the second set to give the Philippe-Chatrier crowd a contest to enjoy, with both players huffing and puffing in their efforts to make any headway on the others’ serve.

Alcaraz called for the physio about an apparent hip injury while trailing 5-4 in the second set and the Spaniard left the court for a medical timeout, but he was able to continue.

He coughed up a break and set point on his return to the court, but saved it in style with a well-executed point that left him roaring and pumping his fists in celebration.

The second seed then put his foot on the accelerator in the tie-break to close out the match with some typically stylish tennis.

Alcaraz, who is also competing in an all-star doubles partnership with Rafael Nadal in Paris, is only seeded behind 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic at the Olympics.

Djokovic dispatched his long-time rival Nadal in straight sets earlier on Monday, leaving him on course for a rematch with Alcaraz – his conqueror in the Wimbledon final at the start of the month.

EVANS LIMPS OUT AGAINST TSITSIPAS

Britain’s Dan Evans bowed out of the singles in the second round after a straight-sets defeat to Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Evans lost 6-1 6-2 to the No. 8 seed to leave Jack Draper as the only remaining Team GB player in the men's and women's singles draws.

Cameron Norrie withdrew through injury before the tournament began, while Katie Boulter suffered a first-round defeat in the women's singles against Anna Schmiedlova.

British No. 1 Draper faces Taylor Fritz of the United States in his second-round match on Tuesday.

Evans had a frantic day on Sunday, battling back from a mid-match injury to defeat Tunisia’s Moez Echargui in three sets before teaming up with Andy Murray in the doubles to rescue an extraordinary win from the jaws of defeat against Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel.

Those exertions looked to have taken their toll when he was blown away in a 24-minute opening set by world No. 11 Tsitsipas, returning to Roland-Garros after reaching the French Open quarter-finals in May.

After making short work of set one by converting each of his two break points, the Monte-Carlo champion wrapped up the second set in similarly clinical fashion.

Although Evans' singles campaign is over, he will be back in doubles action with Murray when they face either France's Ugo Humbert and Arthur Fils or Belgium's Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen on Tuesday.

Tsitsipas will face Sebastian Baez of Argentina in the third round.