ROME, May 9, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his bid for a first 
Italian Open title by cruising past Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-3 
in Rome on Friday on his return to action from a thigh injury.

World number three Alcaraz got past Lajovic in one hour and 23 minutes in his 
first match since suffering the injury in his Barcelona Open final defeat to 
Holger Rune last month.

The Spaniard showed some signs of ring rustiness with 22 unforced errors but 
still managed to win the first four games of the match to give Lajovic too 
much to do in the first set.

And Alcaraz closed out the match in professional style with another quick 
start in the second set which put him three games ahead, allowing him to 
serve out for the win.

"Today was a really good day in the office, hopefully tomorrow and Sunday is 
going to be better," said Alcaraz.

"Of course I tried to make the most of my time, when I'm not playing 
tournaments I always try to find the positive things... I could stay at home 
more with my friends, with my family, recovering and getting a little bit 
fresh mentally.

"It was a great performance, a great level, which was surprising for me a 
little bit but I'm just really happy for that."

Alcaraz will now face one of Alex Michelsen and Laslo Djere in the third 
round as he eyes a potential final with world number one Jannik Sinner in the 
Italian capital.

Sinner will make his comeback from a three-month doping ban on Saturday when 
he takes on Mariano Navone in front of what will be a partisan crowd at the 
Foro Italico.

Alcaraz later told reporters that he would take it easy on his day off, keep 
an eye on Sinner's match and go to watch his friend Patric play for Serie A 
football club Lazio against Juventus at the nearby Stadio Olimpico.

- Sabalenka through -

One of Alcaraz's potential opponents in the last 16, Grigor Dimitrov, fell at 
the first hurdle against wild card entrant Francesco Passaro.

Bulgarian Dimitrov, the 14th seed, was beaten 7-5, 6-3 by Italian Passaro, 
who will take on Roman Burruchaga or Karen Khachanov in the next round.

Last year's winner Alexander Zverev is in action, against Argentina's Camilo 
Ugo Carabelli, in the last match of the day on centre court.

Home hope Lorenzo Musetti opened his week, his first in the top 10 of the 
men's world rankings, with a 6-3, 6-2 win over qualifier Otto Virtanen.

In the women's draw, Aryna Sabalenka cruised past Anastasia Potapova and into 
the third round with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.

Last year's beaten finalist and current world number one, Sabalenka swept 
past Russian Potapova in just over an hour.

"I'd say that the top player is always a favourite," said a confident 
Sabalenka.

"I know that if I bring my best game and my fight spirit on court, I know 
that I can win this tournament."

Sabalenka will play Sofia Kenin in the next round after the American beat 
another Russian in Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0.

The 27-year-old Sabalenka has reached the final of her last four tournaments, 
with 1000 series wins in both Miami and Madrid.