Alcaraz, Sinner win openers; Sabalenka pulls out

LONDON – Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and world number one Jannik Sinner reached the Wimbledon second round on Monday as Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka withdrew with an injury.

As Alcaraz and Sinner, two of the men at the vanguard of tennis’ new generation moved on, 37-year-old Andy Murray has withdrawn from the men’s singles after failing to recover from back surgery in time for his opening match on Tuesday but has committed to competing in doubles with his brother Jamie.

Alcaraz defeated dreadlocked 269th-ranked qualifier Mark Lajal of Estonia 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, 6-2, recovering from breaks down in the first two sets.

The Spaniard, still only 21, is chasing his fourth Grand Slam title and hopes to become just the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back.

“He played a really good match, he obviously surprised me a little bit because I didn’t have the chance to see him play a lot,” said Alcaraz after opening the program on Centre Court.

This time last year, Lajal was losing a first-round match at a second-tier Challenger event in the United States and earning a paltry $780 – on Monday he banked $75,000.

Sinner overcame a mid-match wobble to see off the challenge of Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to set up a match against 2021 finalist and compatriot Matteo Berrettini.

Murray, who won the tournament in 2013 and 2016, was due to face Czech player Tomas Machac on Centre Court on the second day of the tournament.

“Unfortunately, despite working incredibly hard on his recovery since his operation just over a week ago, Andy has taken the very difficult decision not to play the singles this year,” said a statement from Murray’s representatives.

Two-time Wimbledon semifinalist Sabalenka, ranked third in the world, is one of eight players to have pulled out since the draw was made.

She had admitted she was not 100 percent fit after suffering a shoulder injury at the Berlin Open.

“Heartbroken to have to tell you all that I won’t be able to play the Championships this year,” wrote 26-year-old Sabalenka on X.