Carlos Alcaraz is set to face Mark Lajal in the first round of Wimbledon 2024.
The draw for this year’s Championships was announced on Friday, revealing that defending champion Alcaraz will play against Estonia’s Mark Lajal, who is ranked 262nd in the ATP rankings.
This match will be their first-ever encounter on Tour. Lajal, just seven days younger than Alcaraz, has dismissed pre-match predictions. He made it through qualifying by defeating Francesco Passaro, Henrique Rocha, and James Duckworth to secure his spot in the main draw .
Only once in the Open Era has a reigning Wimbledon men’s champion lost in the first round of their title defense. That happened back in 2003 when Lleyton Hewitt was defeated by Ivo Karlovic from Croatia.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Alcaraz | 22 | 68,791 | 25 - 5 |
Mind Games Begin:
Alcaraz knows that Lajal isn’t just there to fill up space. The Estonian responded to an Instagram post showing Alcaraz’s projected path to the final, implying he would win his first-round match easily. But Lajal wasn’t having any of it and warned he might cause an upset.
“Catch me here on Monday.”
“What road to the final? First round exit, byebye.”
Fans might think it’s risky for Alcaraz to underestimate his opponent like this.
Lajal’s highest ranking has been World No. 191 and he mostly plays on the ATP Challenger Tour. Before this year, he had never played on grass at a professional level but has managed a 5-2 record since starting at Surbiton Challenger in early June.
On the other hand, Alcaraz is much more experienced despite being the same age as Lajal. He won his first grass-court title last summer at Queen’s but lost in the second round during his title defense last week against Jack Draper. This year, he boasts a 26-6 record and will have the honor of playing on Centre Court on Monday.
What do you think about this upcoming match?
