Wimbledon 2023: Carlos Alcaraz overwhelms Jeremy Chardy to reach second round in style
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Updated 04/07/2023 at 16:56 GMT
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz made short work of veteran Jeremy Chardy to kickstart his bid for Wimbledon glory in the first round. The Spaniard clinched a straight-sets win to set up a meeting with Alexandre Muller or Arthur Rinderknech next. Chardy, who has struggled with serious injury problems in the last 18 months, said the clash with Alcaraz was "maybe my last".
'I feel one of the favourites to win Wimbledon' - Alcaraz after winning Queen's title
Carlos Alcaraz powered into the second round of Wimbledon with a blistering 6-0 6-2 7-5 win over Jeremy Chardy in what could be the final match of the veteran Frenchman’s career.
The world No. 1 got off to a blistering start, winning a bagel set in just over 20 minutes as he went on an eight-game winning run that saw him take an early break in the second too.
Chardy said this was “maybe my last match” before facing the top seed at the tournament where he first made his name as Boys’ champion in 2005, and the 36-year-old was given rapturous applause when he eventually got on the board in the ninth game of the contest.
The Frenchman could do little to stop the power and dynamism of Alcaraz in the second set, but hugely improved in the third and even found himself a break up before the youngster found another gear to recover.
Alcaraz will face Alexandre Muller or Arthur Rinderknech next at SW19.
"I think I played really well at the beginning of the match," Alcaraz said.
"In the third set he found his level. I was in trouble a little bit. But I like to play rallies, I like to play balanced. I’m really happy to have played a great level in the third set, both of us. It was really close. I’m really happy to get through this first round."
The roof of Court 1 was closed after rain disrupted play for a second successive day at the All England Club, but the indoor environment only accentuated the booming delivery of Alcaraz’s stunning selection of shots.
“[The roof being on] doesn’t change too much for me, honestly! I try not to think about it," Alcaraz said.
"Without the roof, with sun, is obviously much better for me, for everyone else I think too. But I try to focus, with the roof or not. I have to show my best level.
“But the sound of the ball with the roof is really beautiful as well. Even more so playing on grass, we hit the ball really clear."
The Spaniard earned an immediate break in the opening game and consolidated with a love hold in an ominous start for Chardy.
The 20-year-old is still relatively new to grass, but was playing with great freedom and swagger in his first appearance since winning Queen’s as he stormed to a 6-0 opening set win in just 22 minutes.
Chardy, who is ranked No. 542 in the world after missing the entire 2022 season following knee surgery and has only competed at four events this year, was immediately broken once more in the opening game of the second thanks to a scorching Alcaraz return.
There was a warm reception for the Frenchman when he finally got on the board with a thumping winner in the third game of the second set, and he responded with a beaming smile to the London crowd.
But it would prove to be only his second game of the set as Alcaraz quickly earned a double-break with another huge return winner and didn’t cough up a single break point on serve to go two sets up in 54 minutes.
Just as the match looked to be sailing towards a swift conclusion, Chardy upped his game and took a 3-2 lead on serve before pushing Alcaraz hard for the first time in the match.
The Frenchman earned his first break points of the match but had three saved, before an explosive winner down the line set up No. 4, which he took with a powerful return winner to take an unexpected lead in the third set.
But Alcaraz sprung to action and saw off a crisis by breaking straight back.
The top seed brought up another break point with an outrageous backhand winner on the run at 4-4, but Chardy toughed out the game to take an important hold.
But he couldn’t stop the Alcaraz onslaught when serving at 5-5 and the Spaniard broke again before serving out the match with an ace to edge a competitive third set.
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