Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz showcased his resilience by overcoming an aggressive performance from Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal, winning in straight sets and beginning his title defense on a high note. The 21-year-old Spaniard secured a 7-6(3), 7-5, 6-2 victory, highlighting his tactical prowess and mental fortitude.
“He surprised me a little bit because I had not seen him play too much. He is very young, he is my age. I am sure I am going to see him on the Tour and play him more often. I am really happy to get through and get my first win on Centre Court this year,” Alcaraz said, as quoted by ATP.
Alcaraz, appearing comfortable in his role as the defending champion, used a combination of delicate drop shots and powerful groundstrokes to dominate the two-hour and twenty-two-minute match. His next challenge will be against either Australian Aleksandar Vukic or Mallorca finalist Sebastian Ofner.
“Stepping onto this court at Wimbledon is the most beautiful court that I have played on. I am still nervous when I play here. I practised for 45 minutes on Thursday and it was the first time I have been nervous in practice and it is because it is for playing here,” Alcaraz added.
Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev also started strong, defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. The fifth seed converted four of his eight break points, maintaining his unbeaten record on the All England Club’s No. 1 Court.
“It was a great match, to be honest. The first match is never easy and there were moments in the match when it was not as easy as the score would suggest. So I’m really happy with my level and I’ve still never lost on Court 1, so hopefully I can play a lot more matches on this court,” Medvedev said.
Medvedev, who aims to improve on his 2023 semi-final performance, will next face Alexandre Muller. Reflecting on his preference for Court No. 1, he expressed hope for continued success in his upcoming matches.
“That’s why Grand Slam matches are tough. It’s never easy to win in straight sets because you need to win three, rather than two sets. Especially on grass, where serve has such a big impact. He was serving well,” Medvedev concluded.
Both Alcaraz and Medvedev have set a strong tone for their Wimbledon campaigns, with fans eagerly anticipating their upcoming performances.
