Carlos Alcaraz of Spain sent a strong message ahead of Wimbledon, as he cruised to victory in the Queen’s Club final, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday, and regaining the top spot in the world rankings.
Although this was only his third grass court tournament, the 20-year-old displayed an impressive display of power against his experienced Australian opponent. Alcaraz’s dominant performance bodes well for his prospects at Wimbledon, where he will enter as the number-one seed.
While leading 4-3 in the first set, de Minaur had opportunities to break Alcaraz’s serve but failed to convert them. Instead, the Spanish player capitalised on the Australian’s missed chances and promptly broke back before comfortably sealing the set. In the second set, de Minaur’s double fault gifted Alcaraz an early service break, further cementing the Spaniard’s path to claiming his fifth title in 2023.
Alcaraz’s success at Queen’s Club places him among a select group of players, including Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Pete Sampras, Lleyton Hewitt, and Boris Becker, who triumphed at the tournament and later achieved success at Wimbledon.
Alcaraz’s remarkable adaptation to grass is evident in his 10 consecutive set wins since his initial loss at Queen’s Club. His adept skills on the lawn, such as a well-executed sliced backhand and confidence at the net, left de Minaur unable to respond. Notably, Alcaraz’s devastating forehand, consistently reaching speeds of 90mph, captivated the crowd and exhibited his commanding presence on the court.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
