Aslan Karatsev: I think I can play on all surfaces

Rising Russian Aslan Karatsev acknowledged he didn't know much about Jenson Brooksby but he was happy that he managed to make it past the rising American star at Roland Garros. 

Karatsev, ranked at No. 26 in the world, handed a 6-3 6-4 6-4 loss to Brooskby in his opener at the French Open. 

Karatsev claimed the first break of the match in the eighth game, before serving out for the opener in the following game. 

Karatsev then broke Brooksby in the third game of the second set and held on to his serve the rest of the set to take a two-set lead. 

Karatsev was down by a break in the third set but recovered to book a straight-set win. 

"I never saw him before. But I heard that he won a couple of Challengers in a row. He passed qualies," Karatsev said, per the ATP website. "For me the main target was just to start to feel more the game, to get the rhythm, and to close it as fast as possible."

Karatsev comfortable on clay 

"I think I [can] play [on] all surfaces. I like to play on clay [so] that you have to really build a point. It takes you a long time. It's not about just the serve," Karatsev said. "Clay you mostly play with a long rally, you have to build up the point. I like it. I like it. I don't have any preference. I mean, I [can] play also on hard court, I think I play well. And when the time comes to play on clay, I prepare myself for clay."

Karatsev plays next against German veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber.

"I'm just focusing to practise, to recover well, and to be ready for my next opponent," Karatsev said. "The people around, they text me a lot, and there is a lot of talking around. But I try to focus on my job and to do the [right] things in the right moments."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3paaMVA