What is a Channel Slam? Carlos Alcaraz achieves the rare feat in pro tennis

Carlos Alcaraz achieved the remarkable feat of winning Wimbledon for the second consecutive year, a task historically considered easier than winning this tournament after triumphing at Roland Garros in the same year. This double victory, known as the Channel Slam, has only been achieved by five men and seven women in the Open Era (since 1968).

Alcaraz and the Grand Slam challenge

“Winning Grand Slams is difficult. Like switching from clay to a grass court, totally different surfaces, with a totally different game. Let’s say I’m going to try it. I want to put my name on that short list. I know it will be a big challenge for me, but I believe I’m ready to do it,” said Carlitos before the final, achieving this milestone at 21, younger than anyone else.

So, why is it so difficult?

Among other reasons, as the Spaniard pointed out, is the abrupt change in surface, from clay to grass, where the movement, speed of the court, and the way of hitting the ball differ significantly. For example, at Wimbledon, the serve, a game aspect that does not make much difference at Roland Garros, is crucial. Also, shots tend to be flatter, less lobs.

Another factor to note is that there is very little time between the French and British majors, currently three weeks (a few years ago it was only two). This makes adaptation even more challenging, with few preparatory tournaments available, Queens being the main one.

Laver, Bjorn, Nadal, Federer...

The rarity of achieving the Channel Slam – winning both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year – is highlighted by the few tennis players who have managed to accomplish it. The first to achieve this was Rod Laver, showcasing his versatility in 1969. However, it was Bjorn Borg who truly established his ability to dominate on both clay and grass, achieving this feat in 1978, 1979, and 1980.

It then took 28 years before another legend, still active and greatly missed at Wimbledon, accomplished this feat: Rafael Nadal. With slower conditions due to changes in grass type and advancements in racket technology and stringing, the Spaniard succeeded in 2008 and 2010. Between these two victories, in 2009, the Swiss legend Roger Federer secured his double. In 2021, Novak Djokovic ended a decade-long drought with his victory at the All England Club against Italian Matteo Berrettini.

Graf, the Queen of the women’s circuit

Steffi Graf’s name is inscribed in golden letters on the women’s list. The German achieved the Channel Slam on four occasions: 1988, 1993, 1995, and 1996. She followed in the footsteps of Czech-American Martina Navratilova (1982 and 1984), who had emulated the successes in the highly prolific years of Margaret Court (1970), Evonne Goolagong (1971), Billie Jean King (1972), and Chris Evert (1974).

The most recent player to achieve the Channel Slam was Serena Williams, who managed the feat in both 2002 and 2015. This year, Polish player Iga Swiatek was a contender for the Channel Slam, but ultimately fell short in her attempt.