Alcaraz caps 'difficult week' with first Monte Carlo Masters title

MONTE CARLO — Carlos Alcaraz made the best possible start to his preparations for the defense of his French Open title, burning past the Italian Lorenzo Musetti in three sets on Sunday to win his first Monte Carlo Masters.

The 21-year-old Spaniard, already a four-time Grand Slam winner, dropped the opening set, but came back hard to take the next two at the cost of a single game, as he cleaned up 3-6, 6-1, 6-0.

He was aided somewhat in the final set by an injury to Musetti.