Alcaraz makes impressive start to title bid at Roland-Garros

Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz made a convincing start to his bid for a first Grand Slam title as he beat Argentinian qualifier Juan Iganicio Londero 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 on Sunday at Roland-Garros.

The No 6 seed was pushed hard in the early stages by world No 141 Londero but pulled away in the second and third sets to run out a comprehensive winner in what was his first ever match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The winner in Miami and Madrid already this year, the 19-year-old will play Albert Ramos Vinolas next, the Spaniard holding off Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis in four tight sets.

Alcaraz is the second favourite with the bookmakers to win the title, having beaten Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev to win the title in Madrid earlier this month.

Londero beat Kazakh Dmitry Popko (6-4, 6-4), Dominic Stricker (7-5, 4-6, 6-0) and Croat Borna Gojo (7-6 [1], 6-1) earlier in the tournament to qualify for the main draw.

Paris (Grand Slam): Other first-round results (Stade Roland-Garros, clay, most recent results first):

• Alexander Zverev beat Sebastian Ofner: 6-2, 6-4, 6-4
• Camilo Ugo Carabelli beat Aslan Karatsev: 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 [5]
• Albert Ramos Vinolas beat Thanasi Kokkinakis: 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 [5]
• Karen Khachanov beat Nuno Borges: 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
• Fabio Fognini beat Alexei Popyrin: 6-4, 7-5, 6-4
• Tallon Griekspoor beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina: 2-6, 6-0, 6-4, 6-3
• Pablo Cuevas beat Jenson Brooksby: 6-2, 6-1, 6-2
• Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Juan Pablo Varillas Patino-Samudio: 2-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3
• John Isner beat Quentin Halys: 7-6 [3], 4-6, 7-6 [1], 7-6 [6]
• Botic van de Zandschulp beat Pavel Kotov: 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
• Gregoire Barrere beat Taro Daniel: 3-6, 6-2, 0-6, 6-3, 6-4
• Diego Schwartzman beat Andrey Kuznetsov: 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
• Hugo Dellien beat Dominic Thiem: 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
• Jaume Munar beat Daniel Altmaier: 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
• Borna Coric beat Carlos Taberner: 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1
• Grigor Dimitrov beat Marcos Giron: 6-1, 6-1, 6-1
• Aljaz Bedene beat Christopher O’Connell: 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 [5], 6-1