Aryna Sabalenka overcame a fierce challenge from Emma Raducanu and a partisan Centre Court crowd to stay on track for her first Wimbledon title on Friday.
Three-time major winner Sabalenka is chasing a maiden Wimbledon title, having missed last year's Championships because of a shoulder injury.
In a rare all-British first-round encounter -- the first since 2011 -- Raducanu showed flashes of the form that once catapulted her into global stardom.
Raducanu and Alcaraz practiced together at Wimbledon on Friday as part of a sponsors commitment and will play alongside each other at Flushing Meadows in September in the mixed doubles.
The match was briefly halted after Raducanu spoke with the umpire, who quickly contacted tournament organisers. The 22-year-old stood behind the official's chair as the spectator was escorted away.
The British player, who faces a tough first round match against Russian 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, was speaking in the wake of high-profile doping cases involving Iga Swiatak and Jannik Sinner.
"Of course, I didn't want to take his last match away from him. But at the end of the day I think a lot of the players in a similar situation would have done the same thing, prioritising their body."
She left Manhattan with the world at her feet, but the problems that have dogged her since provide a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of sudden celebrity.
The pair were granted a wild card after Murray pulled out of the singles due to his failure to regain full fitness.
Showstopper Nick Kyrgios and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu were notable absentees Thursday from the 2024 Australian Open entry list, but Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka are set for their Grand Slam comebacks.
The Canadian-born British player was only 18 when she stormed to an incredible Grand Slam title in New York without dropping a set as a qualifier
Emma Raducanu's U.S. Open title defence ended at the first hurdle on Tuesday while Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and twice U.S. Open winner Naomi Osaka were also ousted in the opening round.
Defending champion Emma Raducanu of Britain was sent crashing out of the US Open in the first round on Tuesday, losing in straight sets to France's Alize Cornet.
Emma Raducanu is poised for a return to the grass of Wimbledon next week as a Grand Slam winner -- under pressure to end Britain's 45-year-wait for a women's singles champion.
