'Excited' Alcaraz opens Centre Court at Wimbledon

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz says it feels "more special" to return to Wimbledon arsenic he prepares to unfastened play connected Centre Court erstwhile nan tourney starts connected Monday.

Spain's Alcaraz, now 21, hit seven-time champion Novak Djokovic successful past year's final, contempt it being only his 4th grass-court tournament.

Tradition dictates nan reigning men's champion starts his defence successful nan first lucifer connected Centre Court.

Therefore, 3rd seed Alcaraz meets Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal astatine 13:30 BST connected nan iconic show court.

"I ever opportunity it is awesome to beryllium backmost present astatine Wimbledon. It is much typical to beryllium nan defending champion," said Alcaraz, who arrives connected nan backmost of winning nan 3rd awesome of his profession astatine nan French Open.

"Great memories past year, awesome run. I'm excited to commencement nan tourney and hopefully person nan aforesaid consequence arsenic past year."

Britain's Emma Raducanu makes her return to Wimbledon successful nan 2nd lucifer of time 1 connected Centre Court.

Raducanu, 21, missed past year's tourney done wounded and faces Russian 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova astatine astir 16:00 BST.

"I deliberation it's a reliable match. She's sewage awesome weapons. On this surface, connected grass, it only amplifies large weapons," said Raducanu, who is classed 135th successful nan world and was fixed a wildcard to play.

"I'm expecting a really difficult match. I deliberation it's a lucifer wherever I'm really nan complete underdog because she's a batch older, a batch much experienced, classed a batch higher.

"For me, I consciousness for illustration it's conscionable a awesome opportunity to effort to get a bully scalp, effort to bask playing really I person been successful nan past fewer weeks, and conscionable get backmost into it."

Reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff plays nan 3rd scheduled singles lucifer connected Centre Court, pinch nan 20-year-old facing chap American Caroline Dolehide.

Raducanu is 1 of 7 British singles players successful action connected Monday.

Wildcard Charles Broom makes his Wimbledon debut erstwhile he faces three-time awesome champion Stan Wawrinka, pinch nan brace playing connected Court Two astatine astir 14:00 BST.

"It's a bully tie I think. I'm conscionable excited," said 26-year-old Broom.

"Stan's beautiful amazing, he's a tennis fable really.

"I'm going to spell successful location pinch nary expectations and effort and play my game, do nan champion I can, and conscionable bask it arsenic overmuch arsenic possible."

Wildcards Heather Watson, Liam Broady, Arthur Fery and Lily Miyazaki are besides successful action, on pinch Sonay Kartal aft she came done qualifying.