Highlights:
- Carlos Alcaraz wins his first grass match at Queen’s Club, reclaiming the top spot in world rankings and surpassing Novak Djokovic.
- Alcaraz expresses his delight at having his name on the trophy alongside tennis legends such as Nadal, Sampras, and McEnroe.
- With the win, the 20-year-old Spaniard surpasses Novak Djokovic in the rankings and solidifies his position as a formidable contender to claim the Wimbledon crown.
After defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to win his first match on grass at Queen’s Club, Carlos Alcaraz will reclaim the top spot in the world rankings. The Spaniard surpasses 23-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic once again at the top of the standings after winning his fifth championship of the year. Alcaraz stated, “It means a lot to have my name on the trophy,” after becoming the latest Queen’s winner to join the likes of Rafael Nadal, Pete Sampras, and John McEnroe.
“It’s special for me to play here. So many legends have won here so to see my name on the trophy surrounded by the great champions for me is amazing.” Alcaraz played on grass for only the third time in his career.
The 20-year-old has previously tried twice to advance past the fourth round at Wimbledon, but his strong performance suggests he may pose the biggest threat to Djokovic winning an eighth title at the All England Club next month.
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Despite Djokovic’s Wimbledon success, Alcaraz will now have the top seed for the season’s third Grand Slam. “It helps a lot to come into Wimbledon as number one, the top seed. It’s amazing but once again it wouldn’t be possible without the support of all the people through the whole week,” added Alcaraz.
The US Open winner didn’t lose a set in his final four matches at Queen’s after overcoming French lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech in the first round.
De Minaur eliminated Andy Murray and world number six Holger Rune on his way to the final, but Alcaraz’s ability to win crucial points in a tight match left the Australian disappointed. “It has been a fantastic week for me,” De Minaur expressed. “We were close, but couldn’t get it done today. Carlos was simply too good.”
At 4-3, De Minaur had two break points to potentially serve for the first set. However, Alcaraz responded by holding his serve and promptly breaking the 18th-ranked player in the world, ultimately serving out the set.
Following the set, Alcaraz required extended treatment and had strapping applied to his right quad. Alcaraz’s movement did not appear to be hindered, as he capitalised on his only break point to go up 3-2 in the second set.
In the final game, Alcaraz was down 0-30 when De Minaur made two rare errors that gave him some chance. However, his powerful serve saved him, and four straight points allowed him to win the match and regain the world number one ranking.