Carlos Alcaraz will face far tougher challenges this Wimbledon but, against a former motocross rider, he got the defence off to a successful start.
Mark Lajal had looked destined to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and father into motorsport before his mother, worried about its inherent dangers, instead introduced him to tennis.
This might have only been the 21-year-old’s first Grand Slam appearance and on the biggest stage of Centre Court but he played way above his standing as the world No262.
He got the first break in both the first and second set, and yet Alcaraz clawed his way back into both for a 7-6, 7-6, 6-2 victory.
There is just a week between them in age but they are poles in terms of achievements and experience. As well as his maiden major, this was Lajal’s first time playing a player ranked in the top 10.
But he briefly threatened to cause an upset as Jack Draper had done two weeks ago to Alcaraz in his other grasscourt title defence at Queen’s.
When the Estonian broke for a 3-2 lead, there were just the inklings of the first seismic shock of these championships only for Alcaraz to win the next 10 points.
Under pressure, Lajal did well to hold serve with his final service game to force the tiebreak, and he earned the first mini break in that particular shoot-out. But his lead was shortlived as the Spaniard rounded off the set for the loss of just two more points.
The second set mirrored the first, Lajal with the first break for a 2-0 lead only to again be broken to love, this time his opponent going on a run of eight straight points won.
At 5-5, Alcaraz, watched from the Royal Box by the likes of David Beckham and Sir David Attenborough, got the crucial break following a limp forehand into the net by Lajal, and by then it seemed like the beginning of the end.
Lajal tried to regroup with a near 10-minute toilet break after the set but this time he was the one being immediately broken and, from there, what had been an impressive challenge to Alcaraz faded.
Speaking on court afterwards, the world No3 said: “He played a really good match. Obviously surprised me a little bit because I didn’t seem him too much playing. I’m really happy to get through and get my first win on Centre Court this year.”
