Alcaraz looking for an unusual record at Wimbledon
‘Carlitos’ will try to defend his title at the All England Club and lift the fourth Grand Slam tournament title of his career.
The time has come. One of the most exciting moments in the ATP calendar for tennis players and fans is here, as Wimbledon starts today with the world’s best players looking to make history in the third Grand Slam event of the campaign.
Carlos Alcaraz is the defending champion and will hope to be at his best to retain the title in what many consider the most prestigious competition in world tennis.
The three-time major champion couldn’t lift the trophy at Queen’s. Jack Draper defeated the Spaniard in the second round, putting Alcaraz’s 13-match winning streak on grass to an end.
However, the Murcia native is motivated to keep making history. He’s known to be at his best when most needed and when the scenario is special, and Wimbledon represents that.
Alcaraz wants the ‘Channel Slam’ by winning Wimbledon
Despite his youth, Alcaraz has always said he’s ready to take on new challenges and break records. This time, in London, he will have the chance of accomplishing a rare feat, winning the French Open and Wimbledon the same year.
Only five men and seven women have won both majors with only a few weeks difference since the Era Open (since 1968), in what’s called the Channel Slam.
“Winning Grand Slams is difficult. Changing from clay to a grass court, totally different surfaces, totally different game of play. Let’s say I’m going to try. I want to put my name on that short list to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year. 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”, Alcaraz said on Saturday.
He could be the youngest player to win the ‘Channel Slam’, at 21. But it’s a difficult objective, because of the sudden surface change of surface, from clay to grass, where the movement, the court speed, and the way of hitting the ball are quite different.
One of the best examples is that at Wimbledon serve makes the difference, it’s a crucial aspect of the game, whereas it isn’t at the French Open. There’s less topspin effect on grass, as players are looking to hit harder because the ball is way faster on that surface.
Moreover, there’s very little space between the French and the English majors, three weeks nowadays -some years ago only two weeks-, and that makes players¡ adaptation more difficult, with very few tournaments on grass to prepare.
Laver, the first to win the French Open and Wimbledon the same year
Hence, few tennis players can say they have the Channel Slam in their careers. The first one to achieve it was Rod Laver. The Australian demonstrated his versatility in 1969.
But the one who showed an ability to prevail on both clay and grass was Bjorn Borg. The Swede did it in 1978, 1979, and 1980. Since then, 28 years passed until another legend, Rafa Nadal accomplished that feat. The Manacor native, still active, although he won’t be at Wimbledon this year, did it in 2008 and 2010.
In 2009, the Swiss Roger Federer won both Grand Slam events. And in 2021, Novak Djokovic ended a drought that lasted 10 seasons, with his victory in the Wimbledon final against the Italian Matteo Berrettini.
Graf, the Channel Slam’s ‘queen’ in women’s tennis
In the women’s category, when it comes to winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year, there’s a name that stands out, Steffi Graf. The German legend won the Channel Slam four times: in 1988, 1993, 1995, and 1996.
She succeeded the Czech-American Martina Navratilova (1982 and 1984), who emulated Margaret Court (1970), Evonne Goolagong (1971), Billie Jean King (1972) and Chris Evert (1974). The last player to win both majors was Serena Williams, in 2002 and 2015.
This year the world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, will try to include her name in this exclusive list of champions by winning Wimbledon after emerging victorious in Paris three weeks ago.