Benefited after the loss of the Danish Holger Runethe world 66th handed the 19-year-old Spaniard his first loss without winning a set since November 2021.
Alcaraz was playing his first ATP tournament since his victory in New York, although he had played two Davis Cup matches with Spain, with a victory against the South Korean Kwon Soonwoo and a loss against the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (13th).
“Of course, this is not the result I wanted, but we have to keep working! Thank you Astana for the support!” the youngest world number one in history reacted on Twitter.
Once No. 7 in the world, Goffin had recently been in fine form in the Davis Cup despite Belgium’s elimination.
It is his third victory against a world number one after beating Rafael Nadal at the 2017 Masters and at the ATP Cup in 2020.
“I think I still have the level to create problems for these players,” Goffin said. “When you play the world number one in a big venue, in front of a crowd, there is a flame inside of you that gives you a lot of energy to play your best tennis and you have no choice,” he added.
The Belgian will face Frenchman Adrian Mannarino on Wednesday, who beat Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Daniil Medvedev, 4th in the ranking, defeated the Spanish Albert Ramos-Viñolas (40) 6-3, 6-1. In another Russian-Spanish duel, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was also eliminated this Tuesday in the first round, when he was defeated by Pavel Kotov in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
Astana ATP 500 – First Round
David Goffin (BEL) defeated Carlos Alcaraz (ESP/N.1) 7-5, 6-3
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE/N.3) beat Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) 6-3, 6-4
Luca Nardi (ITA) beat Alexander Shevchenko (RUS) 7-6 (7/4), 6-2
Alexander Bublik (KAZ) def. Tallon Griekspoor (NED) 6-0, 4-6, 6-3
Karen Khachanov (RUS) over Maxime Cressy (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3)
Pavel Kotov (RUS) beats Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 6-4, 6-4
Daniil Medvedev (RUS/N.2) beats Albert Ramos (ESP) 6-3, 6-1
Source: Ambito
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