-Ikenna Okafor
Carlos Alcaraz suffered his first straight-set defeat in 11 months as he crashed out in the first round of the Astana Open. Lucky loser David Goffin downed the top seed 7-5 6-3, handing Alcaraz his second loss since becoming world No 1. It means the Spaniard is yet to win a match since reaching the top of the rankings.
Alcaraz was playing his first ATP event since winning the US Open. The world No 1 was set to face Holger Rune at the Astana Open but came up against lucky loser Goffin when the Dane pulled out, and was handed his first straight-sets defeat in exactly 11 months as the former world No 7 dispatched him 7-5 6-3.
It was the 19-year-old’s second match and second loss since becoming world No 1, as Alcaraz now remains winless since becoming the youngest top-ranked player in ATP history after losing his Davis Cup match to Felix Auger-Aliassime last month. And it saw his incredible streak of winning at least one set in 62 matches come to an end.
The six-time title winner had not suffered a straight-set defeat since November 4 last year, when Hugo Gaston upset him 6-4 7-5 in the Paris Masters, coming from 1-5 down in the second set to win six games in a row and send the teenager packing.
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