By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, July 1, 2024
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz rallied from a break down in the opening two sets stopping qualifier Mark Lajal 7-6(3), 7-5, 6-2 for his eighth straight Wimbledon win.
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport
Playing catch-up early, defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz took flight in the first-set tiebreaker.
Hurling himself across the Centre Court lawn for a diving volley attempt, Alcaraz turned his Wimbledon opener into a launch party.
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Down an early break in the first two sets, Alcaraz elevated in all areas ascending to his eighth straight Wimbledon win with a 7-6(3), 7-5, 6-2 win over Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal.
It wasn’t easy at the outset, but Alcaraz was covering the court with command as the match progressed, played with more variety after taking the opening set and hit 20 more winners than the world No. 269—44 to 24—in a two hour, 23-minute triumph.
“He played a really good match; obviously surprised me a little bit because I haven’t seen him too much playing, practicing and all that stuff,” Alcaraz told Lee Goodall after improving his career grass record to 18-3, including a 12-2 mark at SW19. “He’s my age so I’m sure I’m gonna see him really soon on the Tour and I’m gonna play against him more often. I’m really happy to get through and to get my first win on Centre Court this year.”
Wearing the Nike swoosh on his shirt and bulls-eye on his back, Alcaraz conceded he felt some jitters launching his title defense today.
“A lot [of nerves] obviously stepping in this court, the Centre Court of Wimbledon, is the most beautiful court that I played on,” Alcaraz said. “I still get nerves when I’m playing here.
“I’ve said many times I practice 45 minutes on Thursday and this was the first time I was nervous on a practice. Just because I’m playing here so I’m glad and I’m a privileged guy to play on this court.”
The 21-year-old Alcaraz, the youngest man to capture Grand Slam championships on all three major surfaces, is bidding to become the fourth man in the Open Era to win four Grand Slam titles aged 21 or under. He’s also aiming to become the ninth man in Open Era history to defend Wimbledon.
The three-time Grand Slam champion will face either Sebastian Ofner or Aleksandar Vukic in the second round. If he prevails, he would play either Frances Tiafoe or Borna Coric in round three.
For now, Alcaraz said he’s just trying to find his comfort zone after an electrifying five-set comeback win over Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon final.
“I try not to think about this. This is a new year totally different tournament,” Alcaraz said. “I have to be focused on my game to play similar as last year if I want to repeat the same round as last year.
“Obviously when I’m practicing and walking around when I walk into the Court I got goose bymps I remember last year and it was a great feeling.”
The 269th-ranked Estonian qualifier Lajal is exactly one week younger than Alcaraz though there’s obviously a vast disparity in their major experience.
In his Grand Slam main-draw debut, Lajal demanded attention from the outset sporting a near mohawk topped by a cluster of blond dreads that resembled a stylistic collision of Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Bart Simpson and the lead singer of Counting Crows.
Despite facing the defending champion Lajal attacked the ball, tried to play with aggression and enjoyed his moment in the Centre Court spotlight.
Displaying bold hair and booming forehand, Lajal reached love-30 on the champion’s serve for the second time in three games. Hammering a deep return off a second serve, Lajal cracked a crosscourt forehand to draw first-break blood for 3-2.
That strike sparked Alcaraz who ran off 10 points in a row, stamping successive love games for 4-3. Lajal rallied from love-30 down to even after eight games.
Credit the qualifier for booming three straight aces and a forehand winner to force the first-set tiebreaker with his best service game.
Launching himself airborne, Alcaraz flew for a diving backhand volley in vain as Lajal leveled the tiebreaker 3-all.
Scraping himself off the turf, Alcaraz went full flight throwing down a serve winner for 5-3 then backing up a 132 mph serve with a ferocious forehand that clipped the baseline for three set points.
An explosive opening set climaxed with a muted finish as Lajal double-faulted to end the set.
Despite that mis-step, Lajal was not fazed by this Centre Court occasion.
The qualifier broke for a 2-0 second-set lead as Alcaraz played a sloppy game double-faulting and slapping a netted forehand to cede break.
For the second set in a row Lajal had the one-break lead and for the second straight set Alcaraz broke right back to level.
Two–and-a-half weeks before Alcaraz captured his maiden major at the US Open, he told Tennis Now his greatest strength was “unpredictability.”
Today, the Spaniard showed his speed and shotmaking skill on the move can be downright debilitating to opponents. Lajal led 40-love in the 11th game, when Alcaraz turned on the afterburner. Running down a dropper, Alcaraz carved a sweet angled forehand dropper.
In a crackling crosscourt rally, Alcaraz ripped a series of running strikes and eventually broke down Lajal’s defenses for the 6-5 service break.
Dipping a slice pass at Lajal’s feet, Alcaraz served out the second set at love snatching a two-set lead after one hour, 44 minutes.
Testing Alcaraz in a finesse exchange is as wise as challenging Michaelangelo to a sculpting contest. Lajal came up short a few times trying to match Alcaraz’s audacious angled drop shots.
Overall, the third-seeded Spaniard won 26 of 33 net points (79 percent) as a quarter of his total points won came in the front court.
Serving at 1-5, Lajal showed resilience and humor saving a match point then celebrating a tense hold waving his arms exhorting fans to make some noise as he extended his main-draw debut for another game.
Alcaraz closed in two hours, 23 minutes raising his 2024 record to 27-6. Alcaraz, who shared he played golf yesterday as a warm-up for launching his title defense, said his comfort level continues to grow on lawn.
"Well, I'm enjoying every time that I play on grass. Even last year or 2022, I always enjoy playing here," Alcaraz told the media at Wimbledon. "I think it's a surface that I can put my style. I love this game on grass, hitting good shots, playing on grass, trying to go to the net all the time. I love and I enjoy playing this style, this game.
"For me, yeah, well, I did a great tournament, achieved great things here on grass. As you said, I didn't play too many matches. But every time that I walk on the court, I enjoy my game here on grass."