Alcaraz Rallies Past Rinderknech In Queen’s Debut, Murray Out; Shelton v Musetti Wed.

In his first match at Queen’s, Carlos Alcaraz had to battle from a break down in the third to win a thriller Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(7-3).

The Frenchman Rinderknech pumped his big serve to build a 2-0 lead in the decider before the Spaniard promptly leveled and then took the breaker, starting with a scintillating forehand pass winner.

“It was really difficult for me at the beginning to adapt my tennis, my game to the grass,” Alcaraz said to the ATP. “For me it is tough playing here but of course I enjoyed playing on the grass and playing at Queen’s. It is a tournament that I really wanted to play. It was a good performance from me on my first match on grass.

“I have never played a tournament except Wimbledon on grass and I wanted to play here. I have watched this tournament on TV and I always thought it looked like a beautiful place to play and be. I am enjoying every single second. The crowd was amazing and the court was unbelievable.”

The 26-year-old Rinderknech slips to 0-7 against Top 10 players and 0-2 against Alcaraz.

Second-seeded Holger Rune bested Maxime Cressy of the United States in two breakers 7-6(7-4), 7-6(7-3). Cressy actually had an early break in the match leading 3-1 but failed to hold it.

The 20-year-old Rune lost just eight points on second serve while Cressy tossed in 13 double faults.

No. 3 Taylor Fritz toppled Bernabe Zapata Miralles of Spain in straights 6-4, 7-5. Fritz lost just two points on first serve and never faced a break point.

Andy Murray’s 10-match win streak came to a quick end. The 5-time Queen’s champion was rudely dismissed by Alex De Minaur 6-3, 6-1.

Murray will still have 11 matches — perhaps more if he decides to play Eastbourne — going into Wimbledon. However the early exit likely will prevent him from a Wimbledon seeding.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Stuttgart winner Frances Tiafoe bested Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-2, 6-4. Grigor Dimitrov ousted Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland 6-2, 6-4. Jiri Lehecka advanced past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6(7-4), 6-3. Lefty Adrian Mannarino handled Liam Broady in three 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 and Jordan Thompson of Australia advanced past countryman Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-4.

On Wednesday, Rune returns to face Brit Ryan Peniston. Peniston actually beat the Dane last year on the grass in Eastbourne.

Tiafoe takes on fellow American Sebastian Korda, No. 5 Cameron Norrie locks up with Thompson and also No. 6 Lorenzo Musetti clashes with big-serving lefty Ben Shelton.