Shanghai Masters: Alcaraz cruises past Cerundolo, and the moustache stays

Sixty-six minutes, no break point to save: in his opening match at the Shanghai Masters, Carlos Alcaraz left Juan Manuel Cerundolo nothing (6-3, 6-3). The world number 3 and second seed moves into the third round.

Behind a well-tuned serve (78 per cent of first serves in, 86 per cent of points won behind the first), Alcaraz rolled: twenty-four winners to six, three breaks taken from seven chances. Cerundolo, ranked 55th, has the profile to upset bigger names, as he showed by beating Jannik Sinner at Roland-Garros this season. On court, the Argentine never reached a break point.

It is a seventh straight win for Alcaraz, days after his Tokyo title, the twenty-seventh of his career, taken against Jiri Lehecka in the final. An hour and six minutes on court is also time saved for the rest of the fortnight.

A moustache won as a team bet in Tokyo

Filmed at practice with a full moustache, Alcaraz set social media buzzing before he even played. The plan had been written in advance: before Tokyo, the team made a bet, a title for the Spaniard meant a moustache for everyone in Shanghai. “It’s going to stay for the week,” Alcaraz promised at the ATP mic: “I always wanted to step on court at least once with a moustache.”

Shanghai, one of the three Masters 1000 missing from his record

In the third round, Alcaraz will meet the winner of Buse-Bergs, and the tournament remains one of the three Masters 1000 missing from his trophy cabinet, along with Canada and Paris. For the bettor, this opener had nothing to offer: priced at 1.05 with BetMGM before the match, the market gave him better than nine chances in ten, and the score confirmed it. At that price, the edge is already in the odds. 18+. Only bet what you can afford to lose.