Carlos Alcaraz made a confident start to his bid for a first Wimbledon title as the world number one routed French veteran Jérémy Chardy on Tuesday. Alcaraz’s emphatic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 first round victory underlined his status as the main challenger to reigning champion Novak Djokovic. The 20-year-old, who has five titles to his name already this season, is in fine form after winning his maiden grass-court trophy at Queen’s Club last month. Although Alcaraz, who won the US Open last year, sits top of the world rankings, Djokovic is the man to beat as he chases an eighth Wimbledon title. The Spaniard is seeded to meet world number two Djokovic in a blockbuster final at the All England Club.
Alcaraz, who made the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2022, was just five when Chardy played his first match at the tournament in 2008. Chardy, a former Wimbledon junior champion, will retire from singles tournaments after this year’s event. The 36-year-old was no match for Alcaraz, whose potent combination of power, speed and a deft drop-shot makes him a formidable force on all surfaces. Under the Court One roof, which was closed due to rain, Alcaraz refused to give London-based Chardy a farewell party in front of his friends and family. As rain thundered down on the roof, Alcaraz unleashed a barrage of booming forehands as he sped through the first set in just 22 minutes. Chardy finally got on the scoreboard in the third game of the second set, but Alcaraz kept his foot on the gas to seal a resounding victory. In the second round, Alcaraz faces the winner of the all-French clash between Alexandre Muller and Arthur Rinderknech.
Federer wows the crowd from royal box
Equally on Tuesday, Wimbledon paid tribute to Roger Federer as the eight-time champion returned to the scene of some of his greatest triumphs. The Center Court crowd gave the Swiss great a prolonged standing ovation interspersed with cheers as he entered the royal box. Federer, fresh from appearing on stage with Coldplay in Zurich during the weekend, was visibly moved before taking his seat next to Catherine, the Princess of Wales. The 41-year-old has mostly stayed away from tennis since bowing out in emotional scenes at the Laver Cup in London in last September but was similarly honored at the grass-court event in Halle, Germany, last month.
The celebration under the closed roof of Center Court threatened to upstage the first match of the championship for Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, the defending women’s champion, who started her campaign against US player Shelby Rogers. Rybakina won in three sets 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Federer, who ended his career with 20 Grand Slam titles, won his first Wimbledon title in 2003 and a record eighth men’s crown in 2017. He played his final match at the All England club in 2021, losing in the quarter-finals to Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. Novak Djokovic is the hot favorite to equal Federer’s Wimbledon mark this year and secure his 24th Grand Slam title.
