Over the past decade or more, it has been usual to watch one of the Big Four, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, or Andy Murray to be seen standing on Centre Court to officially open The Championships on Day One, but not this year as Carlos Alcaraz made his debut in that role for the 137th Championships.
I’m really happy to get my first win on Centre Court this year, I still get nerves and excitement a lot stepping on this court. It’s such a privilege. Carlos Alcaraz
Assisting him in that match was an Estonian, only the second male player from that country to compete at Wimbledon, and as a qualifier, the 21-year-old was not expected to give the champion much trouble.
However, considering Mark Lajal was not only making his debut at a Grand Slam, and on the Centre Court of the most prestigious of the four majors against a three-time Grand Slam winner, he showed no fear and impressed Alcaraz who paid tribute for an excellent performance which certainly kept him on his toes before he secured his 7-6(3) 7-5 6-2 victory.
“He played a really good match,” Alcaraz said following the two-hour 20-minute contest. “Obviously it surprised me a little bit because I haven’t seen him too much. He has the level to go up a lot. I’m sure I’ll play against him more often.”
But as the score implies, he didn’t have an easy ride.
“I’m really happy to get my first win on Centre Court this year,” while admitting: “I still get nerves and excitement a lot stepping on this court. It’s such a privilege. It’s the most beautiful court I’ve played on. I practised here for 45 mins last Thursday and it’s the first time I’ve been nervous during a practice. Just walking around here I got goosebumps.”
He also acknowledged that there were some distractions on CC.
“During the match, the memories of last year came back a little bit but I tried not to think about it. That was a totally different tournament and I have to be focused on my game to achieve the same as last year,” he asserted.
Mark Lajal provided the defending champion with a more than suitable test
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
But while Alcaraz lived up to his reputation, Lajal will have also established a fan base amongst younger generation, especially with his dreadlocks which he had pulled together on top of his head where it stood proudly for the length of the match.
His first impressive move was breaking Alcaraz at 2-2 with some aggressive play, but only aroused the Spaniard who immediately responded by claiming the next eight consecutive points.
That burst from the Spaniard didn’t dampen the Estonian spirits who held on to force a tiebreaker where again, the pair exchanged early mini-breaks before Alcaraz pulled 4-3 ahead and, by claiming the next two points on his own serve, watched as Lajal delivered his first double fault to tamely concede the set.
In many ways the second set followed a similar scenario but this time, Alcaraz broke in the 12th game to go two sets to love up.
By now, Alcaraz was starting to throw off any grass court rustiness. He broke immediately in the opening game of the third and again in the fifth to lead 4-1 and while Lajal managed to keep himself in the match when serving at 5-1 saving a match point in the process, he was finally swept aside when Alcaraz served for the match.
