Alcaraz Advances at Queen's Club After Walton Win

Carlos Alcaraz began his grass-court season at the Queen's Club Championships with a hard-fought 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over Australian Adam Walton, moving into the tournament's last 16. Walton, initially a lucky loser replacing Alejandro Davidovich Fokina due to illness, challenged Alcaraz by holding serve effectively and even earning set points in the second set, but Alcaraz's serve-and-volley tactics and precise drop shots helped him secure the win after a tense tiebreak. This match marked Alcaraz's first since his intense 5.5-hour French Open final win over Jannik Sinner just nine days earlier, making his adaptation to grass notable. Alcaraz expressed happiness being back on grass, a surface and venue special to him, and acknowledged the challenge Walton presented. Meanwhile, other notable results included French qualifier Corentin Moutet upsetting third seed Taylor Fritz and British player Jack Draper winning convincingly against American Jenson Brooksby, delighting the home crowd. These early rounds set the stage for exciting competition ahead as players adjust to the grass surface in preparation for Wimbledon.