Pakistan, Jan. 21 -- Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz continued his steady march through the Australian Open on Wednesday, fending off a barrage of heavy hitting before booking his place in the third round. The Spaniard overcame German Yannick Hanfmann 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena in a match that demanded both patience and precision.

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Alcaraz, chasing a first title in Melbourne to complete a career Grand Slam, admitted he was caught off-guard by Hanfmann's aggression. "To be honest, it was tougher than I thought," the 22-year-old said, noting that his opponent's groundstrokes were "coming as a bomb". The victory sets up a third-round meeting with either Corentin...