Alcaraz Sports New Mustache, Beats Cerundolo in Shanghai Opener

Carlos Alcaraz opened his Shanghai Masters campaign with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo on Friday, advancing to the third round while debuting a mustache he and his team agreed to grow after his Japan Open title, according to ESPN.

Why did Alcaraz grow a mustache for Shanghai?

The second seed said the look was a wager tied to his performance in Tokyo earlier this week, where he won his first title since February. "Before Tokyo it was like, 'All right, if I win the tournament, we all have to have the mustache and play Shanghai with a mustache,'" Alcaraz said, according to ESPN. "It's going to be fun. We're laughing around, just having fun with it." He added that the facial hair would remain "for the week" and that he had "always wanted to step on the court with a mustache." Members of his coaching team sported matching mustaches in the stands during the match, ESPN reported.

What is Alcaraz's current form heading into Shanghai?

The win extended Alcaraz's streak to seven straight matches, a run that includes his title run in Tokyo, per ESPN. The straight-sets victory over Cerundolo took a measured toll, with no reported need for a deciding set, as Alcaraz closed out both sets by the same 6-3 margin.

How did other seeded players perform in the same round?

Fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime needed close to three hours to eliminate Camilo Ugo Carabelli 4-6, 7-6 (1), 7-5, ESPN reported. Daniil Medvedev, playing his first match since being defaulted from the Beijing event for hitting a spectator with a loose ball, rallied from a set down to beat Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Medvedev, who apologized for the Beijing incident and called it an accident, forfeited $285,000 in prize money he would have earned for reaching the Beijing semifinals, according to ESPN. The Shanghai win improved his career record against Struff to 10-2.

Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced past 18th-seeded Luciano Darderi 6-3, 6-4 in a match delayed more than 15 minutes by overly bright screens at the back of the court, ESPN reported. Novak Djokovic, by contrast, lost to Hubert Hurkacz in the second round, according to ESPN's coverage of the tournament.

What is next for Alcaraz in Shanghai?

Alcaraz's next opponent was not specified in the available reporting. The tournament continues with later rounds determining whether the mustache — and the winning streak — survive into the second week.

By the numbers

• Alcaraz defeated Cerundolo 6-3, 6-3, extending his win streak to seven matches.
• Medvedev forfeited $285,000 in prize money after his default in Beijing, per ESPN.
• Auger-Aliassime needed nearly three hours to beat Carabelli 4-6, 7-6 (1), 7-5.
• Medvedev improved to 10-2 in his career series against Struff.

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