Wimbledon starts with Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu and Coco Gauff on the schedule
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain plays a backhand return to Mark Lajal of Estonia during their first round match of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — The 2024 edition of Wimbledon started on Monday, with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and past Grand Slam title winners Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu all set to play matches at Centre Court.
Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time Australian Open champion who was seeded third at the All England Club, withdrew on Monday because of an injured shoulder.
Mark Lajal of Estonia plays a forehand return to Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during their first round match of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
No. 9-seeded Maria Sakkari was among the early winners, beating McCartney Kessler 6-3, 6-1.
“We could name like 20, 25 girls that could win the tournament right now,” Sakkari said.
Alcaraz just won his third major championship at the French Open three weeks ago. He defeated Novak Djokovic in last year's final at Wimbledon. Alcaraz faces qualifier Mark Lajal of Estonia on Day 1 on the All England Club's grass courts.
David Beckham gestures as watches the first round match on Centre Court between defending champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Mark Lajal of Estonia at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Raducanu won the 2021 U.S. Open at age 18, but she has been dealing with various injuries since then. Her scheduled opponent — 22nd-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova — withdrew Monday morning because of illness. Alexandrova was replaced by Renata Zarazua, a so-called “lucky loser” from the qualifying tournament.
Maria Sakkari of Greece plays a forehand return to McCartney Kessler of the United States during their first round match of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Gauff, who won the U.S. Open last September, closes out the day's schedule in the main stadium against Caroline Dolehide in an all-American matchup.
No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner is also on Monday's schedule, playing Yannick Hanfmann at No. 1 Court.
In early results, No. 8-seeded Casper Ruud beat Alex Bolt 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4. Unseeded Canadian Denis Shapovalov eliminated No. 19 Nicolas Jarry 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.
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People sit outside at a coffee shop decorated with tennis raquets, in Southfields near the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, Friday, June 28, 2024. The Wimbledon Championships begin on July 1. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A stall holder prepares to sell hats outside the Wimbledon tennis centre ahead of the first round matches of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Fans take a selfie ahead of play of the first round matches of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Coco Gauff of the US during a training session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ahead of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, June 30, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Britain's Emma Raducanu wearing an England football shirt, during a session on the practice court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, Sunday, June 30, 2024. The Wimbledon Championships begin on July 1. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Denis Shapovalov of Canada celebrates during his first round match against Nicolas Jarry of Chile at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Casper Ruud of Norway plays a backhand return to Alex Bolt of Australia during their first round match of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)