Carlos Alcaraz has admitted he was fascinated by Rafael Nadal when he opted to go for a sleeveless take a look at this 12 months’s US Open. Nadal has received the Flushing Meadows Grand Slam on 4 events however is absent from the event this 12 months as he battles to beat a hip harm.

Alcaraz has loved a scintillating rise to the highest of the sport in recent times and received his first Grand Slam on the age of 19 finally 12 months’s US Open. The 20-year-old backed-up that success by defeating Novak Djokovic within the Wimbledon last in July and is second favorite to win in New York this time round.

Alcaraz received his US Open marketing campaign up and working in opposition to Dominik Koepfer on Tuesday and donned a brand new look as he wore a shirt with none sleeves. The Nike high is filled with color, with orange, blue and crimson patterns scattered round it.

Nadal habitually wore sleeveless shirts throughout his early years on the Tour and was famed for the look as he received event after event. And Alcaraz tipped his hat on the legendary participant after progressing to the second spherical.

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“Honestly, when I wear the sleeves, I was thinking about Rafa when he wore that,” Alcaraz defined. “He won that US Open, right?. I love to wear that sometimes in some specific tournaments. Here in the US Open, I [was] supposed to play [in a sleeveless top] last year. This year it's a good, good outfit - so I love it.”

Alcaraz’s opponent on Tuesday was dealt an enormous blow simply six factors into the match when he rolled his left ankle. The German battled on for one more hour however was finally pressured to retire earlier than hobbling off the court docket, with Alcaraz main 6-2, 3-2.

“It was a shame for him in the first game, he got injured with the ankle,” Alcaraz added. “Obviously that's not the best way to get through to another round. But I have to say for myself that I was playing great, I was playing really well on court. Hopefully I can keep the same level in the next round.”

Alcaraz is about to face Lloyd Harris within the second spherical after the South African ace overcame Guido Pella in his first outing of the event. Meanwhile, three-time champion Djokovic started his event by defeating Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-0, 6-2, 6-3. Djokovic and Alcaraz have been tipped to fulfill within the last subsequent month.