Carlos Alcaraz, still only 21, is chasing his fourth Grand Slam title and hopes to become just the sixth man after Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back.
"I know that there's going to be a really difficult and big challenge for me, but I think I'm ready to do it," said Alcaraz.
Alcaraz faces 21-year-old Estonian qualifier Mark Lajal, who had never won a Grand Slam qualifying match, let alone a main draw tie, before last week.
Lajal, the son of a motocross rider, has just two wins on the ATP tour in his career.
For making the first round at Wimbledon, he is guaranteed $75,000.
World number one Jannik Sinner, a semi-finalist in 2023, starts against Yannick Hanfmann, the German world number 110.
Meanwhile, 2013 and 2016 champion Andy Murray will reveal later Monday if he will play singles at his farewell Wimbledon.
The former world number one underwent surgery to remove a cyst on his spine last week and admitted he still hasn't fully recovered feeling in his leg as a result.
"It's kind of like if you sleep on your arm funny, you wake up and you've got a dead arm," says the 37-year-old.
Murray, whose 2013 triumph ended Britain's 77-year wait for a men's champion at Wimbledon, is due to face Czech world number 38 Tomas Machac on Tuesday.
If he can't make that date, he still hopes to play doubles with his brother Jamie before bringing the curtain down on his Wimbledon career, which began 19 years ago.
"I'm hoping maybe for a bit of closure. I just want the opportunity to play one more time out there, hopefully on Centre Court, and feel that buzz," he said.
Coco Gauff
Elsewhere on opening day, women's second seed and US Open champion Coco Gauff takes on American compatriot Caroline Dolehide.
Gauff famously made the last 16 in 2019 as a 15-year-old qualifier, defeating Venus Williams in the opening round.
However, in 2023, she was dumped out in the first round by Sofia Kenin.
World number three Aryna Sabalenka, a two-time semi-finalist, starts against American qualifier Emina Bektas, world number 107.
Australian Open champion Sabalenka said she was not 100% fit after suffering a shoulder injury that she described as "a rare one."
Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka tackles Diane Parry of France in her first appearance at Wimbledon since 2019.
Osaka, who only returned to the tour at the start of the year after maternity leave, is ranked at 113 and required a wild card to play at Wimbledon.
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