Carlos Alcaraz takes on Mark Lajal at Wimbledon. Our Wimbledon odds series has our Alcaraz Lajal prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Alcaraz Lajal.

The 2024 Wimbledon Championships begin with Carlos Alcaraz trying to defend his 2023 title. It won't be easy, if only because Alcaraz comes to the All-England Club having won the French Open. He put in a lot of heavy lifting to win that tournament. The idea that he will be able to regroup and win seven matches is not something one should view as a probable outcome. It's certainly possible, but it doesn't seem likely. However, Alcaraz was not expected to win Wimbledon a year ago, and yet he did, beating Novak Djokovic in the final after losing the first set. Alcaraz is capable of special achievements, and maybe Wimbledon will give him a chance to astound the tennis world once again. Keep in mind that Alcaraz has already won major tournaments on all three surfaces — grass, hardcourts, and now clay — and he is barely 21 years old. If anyone can overcome the odds at Wimbledon or anywhere else, Alcaraz can. He didn't look sharp at the Queen's Club grass-court warm-up tournament before Wimbledon, but he was still tired from his French Open conquest. If he can play his way into form in Week 1 of Wimbledon, he can make a run at the title in Week 2.

Here are the Carlos Alcaraz-Mark Lajal Wimbledon odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

Wimbledon Odds: Carlos Alcaraz-Mark Lajal Odds

Game spread

Alcaraz -9.5: -110
Lajal +9.5: -122

Money line

Alcaraz: -10000
Lajal: +2400

To win first set

Alcaraz: -1300
Lajal: +780

Total Games In Match

Over 27.5: -128
Under 27.5: -104

Alcaraz over 18.5 games: -112
Alcaraz under 18.5 games: -118

Lajal over 9.5 games: -112
Lajal under 9.5 games: -118

How To Watch Carlos Alcaraz vs Mark Lajal

TV: ESPN

Stream: ESPN Plus

Time: 8:30 a.m. ET / 5:30 a.m. PT

*Watch Carlos Alcaraz vs Mark Lajal LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Carlos Alcaraz Could Cover The Spread

Alcaraz is a far, far better player than Lajal. Even if you acknowledge that Alcaraz didn't play great in the warm-up tournament before Wimbledon, the gap in quality between these two players is so large that it won't matter. Alcaraz should dominate and win by 10 or more games.

Why Mark Lajal Could Cover The Spread

The spread of 9.5 games for this match means that Alcaraz is expected to win comfortably, and he should. However, this is where betting on grass tennis becomes a little tricky. In a grass match, a 6-4 or 6-3 set can be more comfortable and decisive than a 6-4 set on clay or hardcourts. Why do we say this? Because on grass, the serve is rewarded more than on other surfaces. The ball speeds through the court and bounces lower on grass, making this surface more favorable for servers and big hitters. On grass, getting just one break of serve in a set is more of an achievement than getting that same break of serve on clay. Alcaraz could get just one break of serve in each set and win 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. The match could be lopsided. Alcaraz could be dominant. Yet, Alcaraz would win by only eight games. This is why betting on Lajal makes sense.

Final Carlos Alcaraz-Mark Lajal Prediction & Pick

The game spread is not the betting prop to bet on. Go with an easier angle: Alcaraz winning in straight sets and not needing seven games to win any set. He could win three 6-4 sets and still cash a ticket for under 18.5 games. Go with that.

Final Carlos Alcaraz-Mark Lajal Prediction & Pick: Alcaraz under 18.5 games