Top seed Carlos Alcaraz launched his quest for a second major title, recording a 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 victory over 36-year-old Jeremy Chardy after one hour and 53 minutes under the roof of Court One due to the rain.
In his on-court interview, he asserted: “I think I played really well at the beginning of the match. In the third set, he found his level. I was in trouble, but I like to play rallies; I like to play battles.
“I’m really happy to have played [at] a great level. Both of us in the third set.”
Talking about playing with the roof closed, he outlined: “[The roof] doesn’t change too much for me. I try not to think about it. Obviously, without the roof, with the sun is much better for me, I think for everyone as well, but I have to be really focused.”
The 20-year-old proved too strong for the experienced Chardy to contain, dominating play throughout the first two sets.
However, the Frenchman, competing in the final singles match of an 18-year professional tennis career, raised his level in the third set, challenging his adversary at the net, winning 70 percent of his approaches.
But despite earning a break over the U.S. Open winner to jump ahead 4-2 in the third, the 2009 finalist in Stturgart fell short in his efforts to lead the encounter to a fourth set.
Instead, Alcaraz began to recover, stepping up the pressure to edge his rival 7-5, sealing the set and the match.
He finished with 38 winners to 14 unforced errors compared to Chardy’s 14 and 36, respectively.
In addition, he won 84 percent of the first serve point and 61 on his second, converting 7/14 break point opportunities.
The Murcia native third appearance at the All England Tennis Club is also his first as the No. 1 seed.
Juan Carlos Ferrerro’s pupil built momentum at the Queen’s Club late in June, improving his rhythm on the grass courts of the Cinch Championships to claim his maiden title on the surface, his fifth this season.
The winner of the clash between Arthur Rinderknech and Alexandre Muller will play Alcaraz next.