Alcaraz Overcomes Early Scare to Advance at Wimbledon
Following a deep run at Roland Garros, Carlos Alcaraz’s preparations for this year’s Wimbledon have been limited. The young Spaniard played just two grass-court matches at Queen’s, where he suffered a surprise second-round defeat at the hands of Britain’s Jack Draper.
Alcaraz appeared somewhat rusty as the world No. 269, Lajal, stunned the Centre Court crowd by grabbing an early 3-2 lead. However, the reigning champion was able to raise his level when it mattered most, breaking back immediately and then clinching the opening set in a tie-break.
“I had to dig deep to overcome that early challenge. Lajal pushed me to the limit, but I’m glad I was able to find my game and secure the win.”
The Spaniard’s frustrations continued in the second set, as Lajal matched Alcaraz’s energy with powerful groundstrokes and crafty drop shots, exchanging early breaks. But the qualifier’s confidence started to falter when Alcaraz broke to go 6-5 up before serving out the set.
There was no looking back for the three-time major winner, who raced through the third set and fired a fierce forehand winner on his second match point to secure the victory.
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