Carlos Alcaraz: Chasing History at Wimbledon

It’s a hell of a five-man club. A legendary quintet who achieved the feat of winning Roland-Garros then Wimbledon the same year. Rod Laver opened the ball in 1969. Björn Borg was the first to join him, and the only one to achieve this feat three years in a row (1978, 1979 and 1980). Unsurprisingly, to complete the table, there is Rafael Nadal (2008 and 2010), Roger Federer (2009) and Novak Djokovic, the latest, in 2021. There will perhaps be a sixth member to join this list prestigious in 2024.

Carlos Alcaraz arrives at Wimbledon with a magnificent challenge to take up. He checked a first box on June 9 by winning for the first time on the clay at Roland-Garros. His path to the coronation was strewn with pitfalls. It took him five sets to overcome world No. 1, Jannik Sinner, in the semi-final (2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3). And the same thing to bring down Alexander Zverev in the final, while the German led two sets to one (6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2). But he achieved this dream, while giving himself the right to join this very exclusive club.

Djokovic will die with his madness

The Spaniard is well aware of the mountain he is about to climb. “Winning a Grand Slam is difficult, he admitted on Saturday at a press conference. Obviously, like going from clay to grass, totally different surfaces, with a totally different game. Let’s say I’m going It’s obvious that I want to put my name on the shortlist of Roland Garros and Wimbledon winners in the same year. But I’m ready to do it.

“I’m ready to start the tournament”

That’s all he proved last year. Alcaraz had already won a first Grand Slam coronation at the US Open in 2022. But his ability to lift the trophy on the grass of Wimbledon did not necessarily seem obvious. His victory at Queen’s two weeks earlier, his first on grass in his career, suggested that it was possible. His journey to the final in London confirmed this impression. It was still necessary to defeat Novak Djokovic, seven times winner of the tournament and double title holder, in the final. What Alcaraz had achieved, again in five sets (1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4).

“Sinner is so calm that he made up some ground on Alcaraz before Wimbledon”

This double is well within his ropes. At 21, the Spaniard will certainly have other opportunities to achieve this in his career. But the first presents itself now and he had every interest in seizing it. Even if his grass season is far from having started like last season. At Queen’s, after a victory against the Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo for his first match after his coronation at Roland-Garros (6-1, 7-5), he was defeated by the British Jake Draper in the 2nd round (7- 6, 6-3). Enough to leave a shadow of doubt about his ability to retain his title at Wimbledon? Not necessarily.

Alcaraz will be fresh. And he hasn’t wasted any time since that defeat. “This failure showed me that it was difficult to adapt, to move well, to realize how to play, because everything can happen on grass,” he explained. The day after my defeat at Queen’s, I started training on my movements, on my shots, in order to feel comfortable moving on grass. Now, after great sessions with great players, in order to gauge my level, I think I’m ready to start the tournament.” On Monday, Estonian Mark Lajal, 262nd in the world, will be the first to stand on his way to this prestigious club.

2024-06-29 18:39:00
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