Alcaraz Wins Queen's Opener as Fritz, Shelton Exit

Carlos Alcaraz, the top seed and reigning Wimbledon champion, successfully began his grass-court season at the Queen's Club Championships by defeating Australian Adam Walton in a closely contested match. Alcaraz, returning to competition for the first time since his dramatic French Open win over Jannik Sinner, secured the victory 6-4, 7-6 after Walton, a lucky loser replacement for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, challenged him with two set points in the second set. The Spaniard expressed gratitude for fan support in London and noted the challenge of readjusting to grass courts, emphasizing the need to improve but feeling pleased with his performance. Meanwhile, two American top-10 players, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, were upset by French opponents Corentin Moutet and Arthur Rinderknech, respectively, with Fritz unable to convert a match point in a tight three-set loss. Other notable results included British second seed Jack Draper advancing confidently and Czech Jiri Lehecka upsetting fifth seed Alex de Minaur. Alcaraz is set to face compatriot Jaume Munar in the last 16 as he continues his pursuit of further titles on grass.