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World number one Carlos Alcaraz announced the start of his Miami Open title defence in emphatic fashion, losing just two games in a comprehensive win over Facundo Bagnis. <\/span><\/p>\n The US Open champion, 19, needed 65 minutes to complete a 6-0 6-2 victory against the Argentine, ranked 100.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The Spaniard, who triumphed at Indian Wells last week, has lost just one of his 16 matches this year.<\/span><\/p>\n He must defend his title in Miami to stay as the world’s top ranked player.<\/span><\/p>\n That is despite the absence of Novak Djokovic – who is not permitted to enter the US because of his Covid-19 vaccination status – as he requires the 1,000 ranking points that would accompany success to stay ahead of the Serb.<\/span><\/p>\n “I knew that I needed to be focused for my first match,” said Alcaraz. <\/span><\/p>\n “To start a new tournament is never easy. I have to be ready to get used to these new conditions but I was really focused on the match from the beginning and I’m happy with the way that I played.”<\/span><\/p>\n Alcaraz was forced to miss the first Grand Slam of the year at the Australian Open because of injury – however he is doing his best to make up for lost time.<\/span><\/p>\n Unstoppable at Indian Wells last week – his second title of the season after winning in Buenos Aires in February – he announced his arrival in Miami by winning the first 11 points against a helpless Bagnis.<\/span><\/p>\n Bagnis could not get close, failing to win a point on the Spaniard’s serve, as Alcaraz took the first set in 24 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n It was the first time the teenager had recorded a ‘bagel’ – winning a set without conceding a game – in an opening set at an ATP Masters 1000 level event.<\/span><\/p>\n The crowd got behind Bagnis as he offered a response with a break of serve to level at 2-2 in the second, but Alcaraz then rattled through four successive games to seal progress to round three.<\/span><\/p>\n He will play Dusan Lajovic, who <\/span>beat Britain’s Andy Murray on Wednesday<\/span><\/a>, or Maxime Cressy next as he continues his bid to become the youngest man to complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ – winning Indian Wells and Miami in the same calendar year.<\/span><\/p>\n In the women’s draw, Canadian 22-year-old Bianca Andreescu, who ended <\/span>British number one Emma Raducanu’s<\/span><\/a> challenge earlier this week, came back to defeat world number 10 Maria Sakkari 5-7 6-3 6-4.<\/span><\/p>\n France’s world number four Caroline Garcia and Tunisian Ons Jabeur, ranked fifth, were both also beaten.<\/span><\/p>\n Garcia lost 6-2 6-3 to Romanian Sorana Cirstea in the second round.<\/span><\/p>\n Jabeur suffered a surprise 6-2 6-2 defeat by 22-year-old Russian qualifier Qualifier Varvara Gracheva, as the former world number two continues her recovery following a knee injury.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n