MADRID: Carlos Alcaraz didn’t need to put his tender right arm to the test while easing to victory in his opening match at the Madrid Open on Friday.

The two-time defending champion was playing for the first time in nearly a month after his injured arm ruled him out of Monte Carlo and Barcelona. And after doubting this week he would be good to go in Spain’s capital, Alcaraz admitted he could afford to hold back a little in a 6-2, 6-1 win over Alexander Shevchenko.

“I didn’t hit my forehand 100 percent. I hit it softer than I used to hit it, but I think it helped me, you know, to, let’s say, stay relaxed,” Alcaraz said. “But the first thing that I was thinking about when I was stepping on the court is to stay healthy.

“I was really happy to not feel anything in the forearm, and after that I could increase my intensity a bit. It was great for me this match.”

Defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka faced tougher resistance in her opening match while beating Magda Linette 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on the Caja Magica clay.

This was Alcaraz’s first match since the Miami Open quarterfinals nearly one month ago. Madrid is the Spaniard’s first appearance on the European clay court swing — he struggled in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro in February — as he aims to win his first French Open title next month.

“Right now I’m thinking to be better or get better every day, and I’m thinking to be closer to my 100 percent here in Madrid.” the two-time major champion said. “Let’s see how it’s going to be the next few weeks. But the main thing is to be ready for next tournament and obviously to Roland Garros.”

In Madrid, the third-ranked Alcaraz is seeded second behind Jannik Sinner and both enjoyed first-round byes.

Alcaraz played with a compression sleeve on his right arm from his wrist up past his elbow. But he looked pretty much like the same aggressive player who has dominated here for the past two years and given Spanish tennis fans hope there is life after Rafael Nadal.

Alcaraz broke Shevchenko’s serve four times and will next face Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil.

Seyboth Wild upset Daniil Medvedev at last year’s French Open and should offer a stiffer challenge to Alcaraz in the round of 32.

Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, another two-time Madrid champion, saw off Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 and will face Denis Shapovalov next.

Seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating Facundo Bagnis 6-1, 6-4. Rublev’s last win came at Indian Wells in March.

Holger Rune was just two points from defeat against Mariano Navone before he rallied to force a second-set tiebreaker and finally prevailed 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Eighth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz beat Jack Draper 6-1, 7-5. Last year’s finalist Jan Lennard Struff, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Alejandro Davidovich, and Sebastian Baez also moved on.

SABALENKA’S SLOW START

The second-ranked Sabalenka struggled with her serve at times against Linette, but the two-time Australian Open winner struck her 10th ace on match point.

Sabalenka got some help from the net to get a key break and go up 5-3 in the third set when Linette was unable to reach a shot by the Belarusian that clipped the top of the tape.

Sabalenka has either won it all in Madrid as she did in 2021 and last year, or gone out in the first round as she did in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

“Hopefully it’s going to be a good sign and I will keep it like that,” she said. “I either lose in the first or I win (the title).”

Fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-3 to take her season-leading win haul to 27 as she seeks her fourth title of 2024.

Rybakina will next face Egypt’s Mayar Sherif after she upset Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 7-5 to reach the third round.

Danielle Collins extended her career-best win streak to 14 matches after beating Serb qualifier Olga Danilovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8) from 6-4, 3-1 down.

Fifth-seeded Zheng Qinwen, who lost the Australian Open final to Sabalenka, withdrew with a right thigh injury while trailing Yulia Putintseva 7-5, 2-0.

Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who made her breakout at Madrid last year, bettered 19-year-old Linda Noskova 4-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Carolina Garcia, and Jasmine Paolini also advanced.

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain: Turkish teenager Arda Guler’s strike helped Real Madrid close in on the Spanish title with a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Friday, moving 14 points clear at the top of La Liga.

After last weekend’s Clasico win over second place Barcelona it appears a formality for Madrid to take the title back from their arch-rivals, and Guler helped them move one step closer.

The playmaker, 19, has endured an injury-hit season but on his first league start snatched a heavily rotated Madrid side a tight victory at the Reale Arena.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti rested virtually his entire first choice team with Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal visit to face Bayern Munich in mind.

Top scorer Jude Bellingham was on the bench after recovering from a stomach problem to earn a late addition to the squad list, alongside Vinicius Junior, Toni Kroos and various other stars.

As a result Madrid conjured little in attack beyond Guler’s goal, with the hosts, sixth, on top in driving San Sebastian rain.

“Arda scored a goal, Arda will be an important player for us in the future, there’s no doubt he’ll be here next year,” Ancelotti told reporters, also praising his team’s commitment despite the rotations.

“It was quite clear that everyone thought we were coming here for a stroll, the only ones who didn’t think so were the players,” he continued.

“I am proud of the players because they had the desire and will to keep winning... I have to thank them because from that point of view, they were spectacular.”

Madrid goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, on loan from Chelsea, pushed away a Takefusa Kubo effort as La Real continued to probe.

Ancelotti also gave defender Eder Militao his first start after his long-term knee injury.

The Brazilian looked uncertain but Real Sociedad could not capitalize, with Benat Turrientes firing narrowly over.

Despite previously failing to generate openings of their own, Madrid took the lead in the 29th minute.

Aurelien Tchouameni swept the ball out to Dani Carvajal on the right, who stroked a low ball across the area.

It was a perfectly placed pass by the Spain international — playing seemingly only as he is suspended for the visit to Munich — and Guler arrived in the right place at the right time to finish.

Kubo thought he had pulled Real Sociedad level against his former side before the break when he beat Militao and slotted home, but Ander Barrenetxea was penalized for a foul on Tchouameni in the buildup.

“Barrene went to steal the ball and the only thing I can say is that the player who loses it was sleeping,” Kubo told Movistar.

Arrizabalaga pushed a Turrientes effort wide in the second half and Ancelotti called on the cavalry for the final 25 minutes, sending Vinicius Junior and Fede Valverde into the fray.

Another substitute, Antonio Rudiger, made a vital block on an attempted Oyarzabal dink to deflect the forward’s effort behind for a corner.

Alex Remiro made a fine save to deny Eduardo Camavinga late on as the reinforced visitors took control in five minutes of added time to see out the win.

The match was brought forward to Friday from Saturday at little more than a week’s notice, to help Madrid prepare for their Champions League match at Bayern.

“It’s a pity, whoever watched the game knew that we deserved to win,” added Kubo.

“It’s a pity for the fans, because of the rain, the change of schedule... all that rubbish.”

Barcelona face Valencia on Monday in La Liga but the Catalans have all but thrown in the towel in the title race.

Madrid’s performance was decidedly forgettable but they are eyeing a league and Champions League double for the fifth time in their history — and that would be something to remember.