Carlos Alcaraz opened his Wimbledon title defence with a challenging victory over Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal. The Spaniard, who triumphed at the French Open last month, won 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 6-2, to begin proceedings on Centre Court.
Alcaraz, 21, described Centre Court as the most beautiful court he has played on, admitting he still gets nervous playing there. “I practised for 45 minutes on Thursday, and it was the first time I was nervous during practice because I was playing on this court,” he said. Despite the nerves, Alcaraz showcased his resilience and skill, ultimately securing a solid victory.
Mark Lajal, also 21, battled valiantly in his first appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam. Alcaraz praised his opponent, saying, “Honestly, it surprised me a little bit because I haven’t seen him playing or practising too much. He has the level to go up a lot. He is really young, the same age as me, and I am sure I am going to see him more often.”
Alcaraz will face Aleksandar Vukic in the second round, following the Australian’s victory over Sebastian Ofner of Austria in a five-set thriller. Meanwhile, top seed Jannik Sinner also progressed, overcoming German Yannick Hanfmann with a 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win on Court One. Sinner, who won the Australian Open in January, will next play his compatriot Matteo Berrettini in the second round.
