What record did Alcaraz match by defeating Paul at Wimbledon?
After defeating the American Tommy Paul, Alcaraz made history by matching another record at age 21, involving Nadal, Djokovic, Borg, and Agassi.
Carlos Alcaraz’s victory against Tommy Paul in the Wimbledon quarterfinals allowed the Spaniard to reach the semifinals at the All England Club facilities for the second straight year. He’s now two games away from successfully defending the title he won in 2023.
The three-time major champion didn’t start the game against the American the way he expected, as the 27-year-old New Jersey native won the first set after controlling Alcaraz’s aggression and intensity.
However, Juan Carlos Ferrero’s player changed the match’s dynamics and emerged victorious in four sets, an important victory to set another interesting battle against Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals, the same opponent he defeated in the same round in last year’s edition.
Alcaraz’s new record in Wimbledon
A victory that also allowed Alcaraz to keep making history, as he reached his sixth semifinal in a Grand Slam event. Carlitos got this far twice at the French Open, the US Open, and now Wimbledon.
Alcaraz joined the exclusive list of players who reached six major semifinals at 21 or younger, which includes legends such as Andre Agassi, Björn Borg, Novak Djokovic, and Rafa Nadal.
Only two tennis players improved Alcaraz’s last record, as Boris Becker and Mats Wilander played eight Grand Slam tournament semifinals when they were 21 or younger.
A milestone that Alcaraz could match if he reaches the semifinals in the next US Open and reaches the same round, for the first time, in the Australian Open before turning 22. But before that, Alcaraz is focused on defending his title on the Wimbledon grass.