Other results arrive from the courts of the All England Club with the first day of Wimbledon which did not skimp on entertainment and emotions. It was one of the most anticipated matches and the reigning champion did not disappoint, providing a worthy performance against an opponent who did not hold back. Carlos Alcaraz fails to make his debut and beats Mark Lajal in three sets with a score of 7-6(3) 7-5 6-2. Green light also for Daniil Medvedev which breaks down Aleksandar’s non-granitic resistance Kovacevic and passes with the score of 6-3 6-4 6-2. The pleasant French derby goes into the hands of Gael My son that stretches Adrian Mannarino in four sets and flies to the second round with the result of 6-4 3-6 7-5 6-4
[3] C. Alcaraz b. M. Lajal 7-6(3) 7-5 6-2
First set: Lajal tries to escape, Alcaraz goes to tie break
David against Goliath. The most classic of miss matches with the reigning Wimbledon champion taking to the court against someone who only has to play the role of sacrificial victim. But the most classic of plots to be presented on Center Court is denied right from the start because Mark He barked he’s not there to be a simple sparring partner for Carlos AlcarazThe Spaniard has only two matches on grass in the tank and is coming off a defeat against Jack Draper at Queen’s while He barked he brilliantly passed the qualifications to get to the Championship. Despite both being born in 2003, the Estonian tennis player does not have much experience on these stages but, at the start, the gap is not felt with the number 269 of the ranking who holds his own against the Murcian, answering blow for blow. Indeed, he is also the first to move ahead in the score, taking the luxury of breaking the service of the fresh winner of Roland Garros. He doesn’t even have time to bask in the sun that the Spaniard gives back tit for tat and the match returns to the track of parity. Alcaraz he fails to break through and so the verdict of the first round is postponed to the tie break where the cynicism of the Iberian allows him to win 7-3.
Second set: there’s room for the show, Alcaraz goes on fire and goes up 2-0
Mark He barked he has a lot of positives to take away from this match because another player would have suffered the blow, making sets even with Alcaraz and losing it in the tie break is certainly not a confidence booster for the rest of the match. The Estonian stays there, starts playing as if nothing had happened and repeats the blitz of the first set, going up 2-0. But the script is the same for the Spaniard who, just like in the first set, leaves his opponent at 0 in the next round and puts things right. From 3-3 there is also room for five-star points, the ones that make paying spectators so happy. In the ninth game the number three in the world goes up a level and down 40-30 he shows off two lightning-fast forehand returns, on the second there is also a slip by the Estonian, to give himself a break point with enormous specific weight. Mark shows that today he does not lack courage and makes up for it with the service and forehand, managing to hold the service game. The Murcian begins to call his opponent to the net both with repeated slices and with the drop shot, the benefits are visible and they go on to the bitter end. The highlight of the second round is a gem of rare beauty by Carlitos that is worth the decisive break point: high-speed exchange, fearful recovery by the Spaniard who transforms a defensive back serve into a winner that lands almost on the line. The ploy that had saved the Estonian in the previous round betrays him this time, the service and forehand stops in the net and there is the decisive break. The reigning champion does not give discounts and the 7-5 brings the 2-0 as a gift
Third set: Lajal has none left, Alcaraz closes easily
After the first hook, another one arrives. With the awareness of having given everything, this time some creaking can be heard and is also reflected in the score of what will be the last partial. The toilet break spent by He barkedand the five minute break doesn’t quell the urge to Alcaraz to close the case. The pressure tests didn’t end with the Estonian immediately forced to face a break point, the fifth ace of the day was an ephemeral lifesaver because the Spaniard passed anyway on the second occasion and immediately took the lead. Alcaraz goes with full rein and, as he often likes to do, grants more than a few magic tricks favoring the show offered. The number three in the world is a forge of solutions and seems to be able to fish one out for any eventuality. In the fifth game the power and speed of his forehand reaches unheard of peaks, all very depressing for the number 269 in the ranking who at yet another drop shot raises the white flag, cashing in at 4-1. At 5-1 the games seem done but the Estonian finds a last gasp when after cashing in a smash, takes advantage of a Carlos error and thanks to his serve earns himself a few more minutes on the center court. It is only agony, not so bitter in this case, because the reigning champion says enough is enough and with a 6-2 he ousts his peer who exits amid much applause.
[5] D. Medvedev b. A. Kovacevic 6-3 6-4 6-2
It won’t be his favorite surface, and in all likelihood it never will be but Daniil’s Medvedev he is determined not to make an appearance at this Wimbledon. Not that the best version of him was needed but the Russian’s performance is comforting from several points of view, with Aleksandar Kovacevic to lay down his weapons without creating any kind of headache for the number 5 in the ranking. A 3-0 in total control that never saw the Muscovite falter, with the only break points given away testifying to a slump from which he was able to recover in a big way, 5-3 on serve in the first set he had to come back from 0-40 and legitimize the first set. Up in the sets count, it was a walk in the park for Daniil who left the crumbs to his opponent with only 5 points lost on serve and 19 aces printed in support of an unassailability in the service games. In the third set things went even worse for the young American who completely pulled the plug and found himself 4-0 down, with nothing else to do but go out sadly against an opponent of superior caliber.
G. Monfils b. [22] A. Mannarino 6-4 3-6 7-5 6-4
Eighth time overall, fourth time on grass and third time at Wimbledon. These are the numbers of direct comparisons between Gael My son e Adrian Mannarino who, with another chapter of the saga, bring a French derby to the gates of the All England Club. What could have been an interesting match between two seeding veterans does not disappoint expectations, with 3 hours of battle between two players who know each other memory and where to win is Lamonf which closes in four sets. Despite the first serve percentage settling at a paltry 43%, Mannarino he manages to hold his serves well, saving only one break point to keep the 4-4. Just when the match seems destined to get even longer, Gael’s breakthrough comes and makes it 6-4. The reaction of the world number 24 was immediate, immediately channeling the match with a break at the opening of the second and certifying it with a 6-3. From the third set onwards the physical decline of Tequila Bum Bum is evident and leaves the field open, strange to say, to the athleticism of the class of 1988. Down 2-1, Adrian no longer has any and seems more stoically aiming to prolong the match rather than overturn it, with the 8 aces placed by My son which do not make the task easier. It ends 6-4 and 3-1 for Gael, a challenge that certainly did not bore the spectators.
