TENNIS
Alcaraz changes his plans and won’t play Rune and Thiem in Hurlingham
The Spanish star decided not to play the Hurlingham exhibition, where he was expected to play two competitive games before Wimbledon.
Carlos Alcaraz won’t play any more matches until the start of Wimbledon. The 20-year-old tennis prodigy decided with his team not to participate in the Hurlingham exhibition event after suffering some minor problems in his right leg adductor during the Queen’s final against Alex De Miñaur.
Carlitos was expected to face Holger Rune, but he preferred to skip his meeting with the Danish player and play against Dominic Thiem on Friday. However, Alcaraz, alongside his team, has also canceled his match with the Austrian.
Instead, the current US Open champion is expected to start training again in the All England Club facilities to get ready for the third Grand Slam tournament of the calendar.
Alcaraz, more precocious than the ‘Big Three’ on grass
The Murcia native won his 11th ATP title last Sunday, giving him a boost of confidence after his unfortunate cramping episode during the French Open semifinals against Novak Djokovic.
Although it was expected that this year’s debut on grass wouldn’t be easy, Alcaraz has proven that his adaptation skills are impressive. He was about to get eliminated in the first round of Queen’s against Arthur Rinderknech, but he avoided the upset and went all the way in the tournament.
By lifting the trophy, Alcaraz has already won a title on all surfaces. He has also become a champion on grass at the age of 20 and 1 month, beating the ‘Big Three’, as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic did so later than the Spaniard.
The Serb will likely be Alcaraz’s biggest threat in Wimbledon, as he has been victorious in London seven times, winning the last four editions.