ATP
Wimbledon 2024 Men’s Day 1
Carlos Alcaraz began the defence of his Wimbledon title on Monday as he fought through a challenge from an Estonian qualifier with blond dreadlocks piled atop his head.
The third seed came through a 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-2 winner over Mark Lajal, whose sky-high hairstyle managed to approximate the silhouette of the tournament trophy.
Mark Lajal (EST) sporting a “Pineapple” hair makeover as he loses first round match. A pineapple sits atop of the Wimbledon Mens singles Trophy..
Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
The 269th-ranked challenger managed to push the Spanish third seed in the first two sets but was unable to pierce the Alcaraz armour in a scratchy win for the Spaniard.
Alcaraz secured the victory on his first match point, finishing with a winner to the corner in just under two and a half hours against a fellow 21-year-old who is younger by a week.
“He played a really good match and surprised me a little bit,” the holder said. “I’ve not seen him around much but I expect to play him again.
“I’m happy to get through my first win on Centre Court. This is the most beautiful court that I’ve played on.
“I got goosebumps walking out even for a practice hit last Thursday; it was the first time I’ve been nervous before a practice.”
The Spaniard said his focus is on the future, not his past title. “I try not to think of the memories, this is a new year and a different tournament.”
Last year’s semi-finalist Daniil Medvedev, the fifth seed, beat American Alexsandar Kovacevic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, relishing the change of surface from clay to grass.
“My level is higher on grass than on clay, but hard courts is the surface where I feel the most confident, where I know I can win whatever happens,” Medvedev said.
“I played very good last year in Wimbledon. and I played a very good match today.
“I’m feeling great. I’m looking forward. I need to keep going. It’s going to be a tough, tough road. I will try to go all the way.”
Eighth seed Casper Ruud was among the first to advance as he put out Australian Alex Bolt 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4, coming through on his sixth match point, a service winner.
“There were two tricky games at the end and I’m glad I won one of them to close out the match,” the Norwegian said,
“These grass courts are so perfect, it seems a shame to ruin them, I tried to be light on my feet.”
The three-time Grand Slam finalist has done most of his best work on clay and is not afraid to admit to his shortcomings.
“There is not too much pressure on me or expectations on myself. But every time I step onto a court I want to win.”
Tenth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov advanced past Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, firing 45 winners to 13 for his Serb opponent.
Canadian No. 121 outsider Denis Shapovalov landed a minor upset as he beat 19th seed Nico Jarry 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.
Shapovalov played the semi-finals here in 2021 but has struggled with injury for the last two seasons.
American Frances Tiafoe, who has lost in the first round here on six of eight previous entries, managed to advance with a 6-7 (5), 2-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 fightback lasting for more than three hours.
Colourful Italian veteran Fabio Fogni defeated French lucky loser Luca Van Assche 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 to next play Ruud, while compatriot and 2021 finalist Matteo Berrettini moved ahead 7-6 (3), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 over Hungarian Marton Fucsovics.
China’s “Treble Zed” Zhang Zhizhen, a Halle grass semi-finalist, put out French qualifier Maxime janvier 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2 in just under two hours.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, at age 39 the oldest man in the field, comfortably saw off No. 248 British wildcard Charlie Broom 6-3, 7-5, 6-4
The veteran Swiss set up two match points with his 11th ace but needed only one as he unleashed a perfect one-handed backhand winner down the line.
Broom had a brief challenge in the second set, leading 4-1 and 5-2 but unable to inflict any damage as he became the second of 19 Brits entered across the men’s and women’s draws to lose on opening. day.
Wawrinka said he has no intentions of winding down his career voluntarily at the moment.
“I enjoy what I’m doing, I think there is enough reason to keep playing. I don’t want to go home.
“Playing tennis was a dream when I was young. Being a professional athlete was a dream.
“Now I’m there, there’s no way I’m going to just stop because I am bored of it.
I’m passionate about the sport.
“I want to keep pushing myself as much as I can and see
where I can go.”
Fellow over-30 Gael Monfils defeated French compatriot Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, with the winner playing here for the first time since 2021.
Holger Rune battled past injured Carlos Alcaraz to spoil the Spanish Easter party at the Barcelona Open, with the Dane lifting the trophy 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The pair of 21-year-olds were familiar foes, having played 20 times in juniors before hitting the Tour; Rune won the first 500 series title of his career and his fifth overall.
Alcaraz was treated three times in the second set after an apparent injury to his upper right thigh/groin after duelling hard in the opening set at the Real Club.
The loss will send Alcaraz back to third in the rankings, with Alexander Zverev moving back to second behind Jannik Sinner as a result of winning the Munich title on Sunday.
Rune, a first-round victim last week in Monte Carlo, reversed his clay momentum in Spain, handing Alcaraz a first loss of a set for the week.
The Spanish top seed’s two final shots both clipped the top of the net and fell back as Rune raised his hands in celebration after 97 minutes on court in the Catalan capital.
“This means the world,” the winner said. “I started the match stressed, he was playing big-time tennis.
“I was able to find my rhythm after he broke me (3-2 in the opening set) and I got more into the match.
“The first set was a big battle with a lot of important points. It was super-important to win the set and gain momentum.
“I’m so proud of myself.”
Rune ended with 18 winners while the ailing Alcaraz produced 33 unforced errors. The Dane claimed his 50th match win on clay and levelled his Tour record in the series to 2-2.
Rune said he channeled Novak Djokovic’s Paris Olympic gold medal win from last summer over Alcaraz as he struggled to turn his game around in Barcelona.
“I asked myself what Novak did to win that final. I (realised) that I didn’t need to hit every ball on the line. I need to make him play and hit a lot of balls.”
Rune, who won the elite Paris Bercy Masters 1000 title in 2022, finally began reversing a 13-match loss streak against top five opponents.with his title victory.
Alcaraz may be racing for fitness with the Madrid Masters starting on Wednesday as the ATP ploughs ahead with an unpopular two-week format for Masters tournaments despite growing protest from exhausted players.
Main photo:- Holger Rune celebrates Barcelona win – by ATPTour.com
Alexander Zverev turned 28 on Sunday and awarded himself a third title on his home Munich clay as he beat Ben Shelton 6-2,6-4 to win the ATP event.
The 2017 and 2018 champion here is now threatening Carlos Alcaraz as the pair duel for the world No. 2 position which the Spaniard took over last week after winning Monte Carlo.
Zverev schooled lefthander Shelton in 70 minutes for a second win in their series. The winner becomes the second to hold three Munich titles after countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber (2007, 2012, 2016).
“I’m enjoying my birthday so far,” Zverev said. “It’s extremely special to win in Germany, the most special thing I can do.
January’s Australian Open finalist added: “It’s definitely a great birthday present, I knew I had to play my best today, conditions were very hot and very fast.They were perfect for me.”
The winner broke three times while never facing a challenge to his serve from Shelton as he claimed a sixth career title at the 500-Tour level.
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev with his “birthday” trophy – by BMW Open/Bitpanda
Alexander Zverev gave fans in Munich what they were after as the top seed rolled into the final of the clay ATP in Bavaria with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 defeat of Fabian Marozsan.
World No. 3 Zverev, who won the titles in 2017 and 2018 needed 91 minutes to advance into a title match with Ben Shelton.
The American earned his spot with a .2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 defeat of Argentine Francisco Cerundolo.
Zverev advanced with nine aces and broke twice in the tidy win over his Hungarian opposition.
“It’s awesome. The entire week has been great. Everybody is really enjoying the weather as well as the new Center Court,” the winner said. .
“I’m enjoying myself and hopefully I will have another great day tomorrow.”
Shelton reached his fourth career final, becoming the first American man to reach a clay final above ATP 250 level since Andre Agassi won the Rome Masters 23 years ago.
“It’s a big win for me. To get a win on clay against a guy like him gives me a lot of confidence,” Shelton.
“I’m really happy and excited to be in a 500-level final in Europe, my second clay-court tournament this season.
“I’ve been playing well this week and I’m not too stressed right now.”
Main photo:-Alexander Zverev winning in front of his home crowd – by ATPTour.com
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