Carlos Alcaraz has officially wrapped up his clay-court season, and he did it in style. Saving three championship points and rallying from two sets down against Jannik Sinner in the French Open final? That’s the kind of match you earn a vacation after. So, Alcaraz did what any 22-year-old Grand Slam champ might do. He flew off to Ibiza to blow off some steam, just like he did last year. But now, after five hours and 29 minutes of drama in Paris and sundowner parties in the Spanish Islands, it’s time to trade the red dirt for green lawns.
It’s go time again. The World No. 2 is back in London, getting ready for the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club. This is where the road to Wimbledon officially begins. Until Juan Carlos Ferrero returns for Wimbledon, it’s Samuel López who’s steering the ship. The Spaniard coach was added to Team Alcaraz at the end of last year and is currently taking charge during this short but crucial grass swing.
According to López, Alcaraz is not just relaxed but also ready. “We’ve had both versions. The first year was a bit of a surprise, saving a match point in the first match and then winning the tournament, and then Wimbledon was fantastic, and last year we lost in the second, but then you have the week in between where things take shape and adapt, and again Wimbledon was phenomenal,” he said to EFE. López added, “That doesn’t mean it has to be like that this year. I’m sure he’ll come prepared.”
Image Credits: Carlos Alcaraz/Instagram
That’s the plan. Alcaraz made his debut at Queen’s in 2024 and nearly tumbled out in his first match. He had to come from a set down to beat France’s Arthur Rinderknech. But once he found his footing, there was no stopping him. He won the rest of his matches in straight sets and lifted the trophy.
But 2024 didn’t start on quite the same note. Alcaraz did win his opener against Francisco Cerundolo, but his next opponent had different plans. With the British crowd behind him, Jack Draper took Alcaraz down in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3. That was Alcaraz’s first-ever loss at Queen’s Club.
Still, there’s no time to dwell. His next match is already locked in. The World No.2 will face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Tuesday as he looks to bounce back and build rhythm ahead of Wimbledon.
Meanwhile, Draper is lurking in the opposite half of the draw. A rematch in the final? It’s not off the table. But Alcaraz knows the road to Wimbledon will have more bumps than just Draper.
Carlos Alcaraz picks out the opponents to look out for ahead of Wimbledon
Carlos Alcaraz is part of the tour’s new dynamic duo. His French Open final against Jannik Sinner wasn’t just epic—it got the stamp of approval from Rafael Nadal himself, who called it a match “for the ages.” Fans are calling them the “Big 2,” and it’s no surprise why. Since 2024, the two have established their monopoly on the Grand Slams.
But the 5-time Grand Slam champion isn’t getting too carried away. When asked about other players who can challenge him and Sinner, the Spaniard gave a pretty thoughtful response. In his press conference, he said, “Well, I mean right now I know that there are a lot of people who are able to compete against everybody, against us for sure. I don’t know some young players…I mean, Zverev is always there. I mean obviously, he’s been talking about himself, and everybody knew that he’s struggling a little bit with his game, but he’s one of those players who are able to win everything. I mean everything he can…”
He added, “I love some players that I’ve said before. I love watching Fils, for example. I think his potential is pretty high. Holger Rune, his potential is pretty high as well, but I don’t know they are already there. So I think it’s about time that they’re going to get closer and closer, but as I said right now, I think the beauty of tennis is that we’ve a lot of players who are able to make great results, play great tennis, and right now the draws are quite open.”
Alcaraz is not underestimating anyone. He’s well aware that defending his Wimbledon title for the third time will be no easy task.
His grass campaign has started. Now the only question is how far it will take him this year. Will Carlos Alcaraz complete his three-peat, or will someone new crash the party? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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