Feliciano Lopez revealed that he was compelled to show down Carlos Alcaraz for his new Sky Sports job on the US Open. The world No 1 needed to observe with the retired Spanish star forward of his first-round match on Tuesday however needed to flip to Cameron Norrie when Lopez rejected him.

Alcaraz is making ready to defend a Grand Slam title for the primary time in his younger profession on the US Open. The high seed begins his marketing campaign in Tuesday's night time session slot towards Dominik Koepfer, and the 20-year-old has been looking for out a left-handed observe accomplice forward of the match.

But he wasn't capable of flip to compatriot Lopez for a lefty hitting accomplice as the previous world No 12 is a part of Sky Sports' new protection of the US Open within the UK and rejected Alcaraz's request. "Everything is great so far," the 41-year-old informed Sky from the observe courts on the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Centre.

"I was asked to be a hitting partner of Carlitos, he’s here a few metres away. I said, 'Sorry I’m so busy with Sky Sports I’m not going to be your hitting partner today.'"

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It meant that Alcaraz needed to hunt down one other left-hander to hit with, and ended up turning to British No 1 Norrie. “I love that, you turned down Carlitos for Sky,” Gigi Salmon responded to Lopez. “So in your absence, he practised with Cam Norrie instead I believe?”

And Lopez defined that it was a daily incidence for gamers to attempt to hit with him after they have been about to face a left-handed opponent. He added: "Yeah, he was searching for a lefty, he’s enjoying tomorrow towards the German man Koepfer so that is regular if you play a lefty.