Wimbledon is back as Emma Raducanu and defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz highlight the opening day at the All England Club before Andy Murray reveals if he will play singles on his final appearance at the Championships.
Raducanu was due to meet Russian 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first round. However, Alexandrova pulled out with an illness at the last minute and Raducanu will now face lucky loser, world No 98 Renata Zarazua from Mexico instead.
Murray will make a decision on whether to play singles this evening after undergoing an operation to remove a spinal cyst before the tournament. The two-time champion is scheduled to face Tomas Machac tomorrow and confirmed he will make a decision after his final practice session.
The 37-year-old said he wants to “feel the buzz” on Centre Court for one last time and have some “closure” before ending his career. Follow all the latest updates and live scores from Wimbledon in today’s live blog
Wimbledon 2024 – Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3) 7-5 6-2 Mark Lajal
Alcaraz is manoeuvring Lajal around the court nicely, and eventually the Estonian just misses the baseline. 15-0.
Double-fault, 15-15. Lajal then sprays an inside-out forehand wide. 30-15.
Much better this time! The Estonian drills a forehand down the line and into the corner. Winner, 30-30.
Another forehand miss follows, though, with Lajal dragging one into the tramlines. 40-30 – second match point for Alcaraz…
And Alcaraz wins it with a curved, crosscourt forehand winner! Lajal chases it, but he won’t get there!
Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3) 7-5 6-2 Mark Lajal
Alex Pattle1 July 2024 16:00
Wimbledon 2024 – Carlos Alcaraz* 7-6(3) 7-5 5-2 Mark Lajal
Two ruthless forehands from Alcaraz, and two winners – one up the line, one crosscourt. That’s 24 forehand winners from the defending champion today. 30-0.
Lajal gets himself in touch, though. 15-30. And 30-30! Lajal with a great inside-out forehand, and Alcaraz has no reply.
A fun exchange at the net now, but Lajal’s lob is a little too low, and Alcaraz smashes it away comfortably. 30-40 – match point…
But it goes begging, as Alcaraz frames a forehand well out of play! Deuce.
Advantage Lajal, who puts Alcaraz under too much pressure, forcing a miss.
A relatively tame serve gets the hold for Lajal, as Alcaraz’s return is weak and into the net!
Alex Pattle1 July 2024 15:54
Wimbledon 2024 – Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3) 7-5 5-1 Mark Lajal*
Lajal sends a forehand long while under pressure from Alcaraz. 15-0.
Alcaraz bullies Lajal with a pair of forehands, smashing away the latter for 30-0.
Both men miss forehands, and we move to 40-15.
Alex Pattle1 July 2024 15:50
Wimbledon 2024 – Carlos Alcaraz* 7-6(3) 7-5 4-1 Mark Lajal
Lajal gets up and running at 15-0, but Alcaraz lashes a wicked forehand across the court for 15-15.
Another beauty of a forehand, this time up the line, and Lajal can only hit his reply out of play. 15-30.
Lajal leaves a shot that appeared to clip the baseline… and it did, upon a challenge! The point will be replayed. I’d argue he should have lost that.
Double-fault and it’s 15-40, double break point.
Great serve out wide by Lajal, though! He rescues one break point.
But he can’t save the other! He gets to an Alcaraz drop shot, but he can’t get it over.
Alex Pattle1 July 2024 15:47
Wimbledon 2024 – Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3) 7-5 3-1 Mark Lajal*
Deep serve from Alcaraz, even deeper return – out of play. 15-0.
Lajal stumbles backwards as he hits a forehand from deep, and he lassoes that well wide. 30-0.
Alcaraz moves to 40-0 with some more tidy serving,
There’s the hold to love after a swift serve, a decent volley, and an even nicer drop volley.
Alex Pattle1 July 2024 15:42
Wimbledon 2024 – Carlos Alcaraz* 7-6(3) 7-5 2-1 Mark Lajal
Alcaraz misfires a couple of times. He flings a forehand into the net for 30-0 to Lajal.
Big serve by Lajal now, and Alcaraz can’t find a return. 40-0.
Oh, that’s a wonderful return from Alcaraz. The serve was down the T, and he just stepped across to meet it with a casual forehand push, but he timed and placed it so well. Into the corner, 40-15.
Ace down the middle! Good hold from Lajal, he needed that.
Alex Pattle1 July 2024 15:39
Wimbledon 2024 – Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3) 7-5 2-0 Mark Lajal*
Alcaraz serves big and then crushes a forehand down the line. Winner, 15-0.
Alcaraz finds the same area of the court on another forehand; he really gets over the ball and drives it down through the court, and Lajal can’t keep up. 30-0.
Alcaraz outsmarts Lajal, forcing him back then drawing him in with a drop shot, which Lajal can’t quite get to. 40-15.
A longer rally ensues, and Alcaraz wins out to consolidate his break of serve.
Alex Pattle1 July 2024 15:36
Wimbledon 2024 – Carlos Alcaraz* 7-6(3) 7-5 1-0 Mark Lajal
*denotes next player to serve
Lajal misses his first serve but makes his second, and a brief rally ends with the underdog hooking a backhand wide. 0-15.
Better from Lajal this time, as he sends Alcaraz scampering along the baseline, and the Spaniard can’t keep his reply in play. 15-15.
Alcaraz slightly mistimes his next service return, with his forehand hitting the tape and dropping on the wrong side of the net. 30-15.
This time it’s Lajal who misses, and we’re at 30-30.
Searing forehand from the Estonian… but did he manage to keep it on the line? He’s told ‘no’, and his challenge shows… that his shot was wide by the barest of margins.
30-40, break point to Alcaraz… Ace! Deuce.
Advantage Alcaraz! Another break point, earned by a terrific crosscourt backhand winner.
Now Alcaraz finds the baseline, and Lajal can’t adjust. He hits into the net, and Alcaraz breaks immediately in this third set!
Alex Pattle1 July 2024 15:33
Wimbledon 2024 – Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3) 7-5 Mark Lajal*
It’s been just over six minutes since the second set ended. Alcaraz is standing on the baseline, hopping about, as he waits for Lajal to return from his toilet break.
And here comes the Estonian.
Alex Pattle1 July 2024 15:28
Wimbledon order of play and Tuesday’s intended schedule including Andy Murray
Jamie Braidwood1 July 2024 15:26