Carlos Alcaraz for the third time in a row? Or this time Jannik Sinner? Or maybe a golden final for Novak Djokovic? A surprise? Alexander Zverev has not been the closest circle of the title candidates among the men at the tennis classic in Wimbledon for a long time. Which does not have to be a disadvantage.
When Carlos Alcaraz celebrated his first success as a tennis professional, the comparisons with Rafael Nadal kept coming up. To celebrate victories as a still a teenager or just 20 years old and to be a Spaniard at a time when the country’s great idol was in the last trains of the career, led automatically. However, it quickly became clear that Alcaraz is a different type of player – not quite as much top spin, faster serve, more mischievous than the over -professional and fierce Nadal.
But there are many parallels. His almost limitless class, but also the adherence to rituals – Alcaraz, on the edge of the court, pays attention to how the bottles are positioned in front of his bank. And the 22-year-old managed to adapt his outstanding game to a completely different world of tennis, the lawn.
Alcaraz “seeing lawn playing on lawn is a luxury for me”
In his first two participations in Wimbledon, Alcaraz did not yet come up with it so well that the balls no longer jumped up, but rather slipped. First he left in the 2nd round, then in the round of 16, the balance was 4-2 victories – this is not a seal of approval in tennis. But after that his series became scary. In Wimbledon, Alcaraz won the next 14 games and thus the past two editions of the world’s largest rasis tournament.
Since his round of 16 in 2022, “Carlitos” has only lost one of 26 lawn matches, since 18 duels he has been undefeated on the covering. “This is perfect for Alcaraz because there are fewer tactical patterns on lawn than on sand – and that suits him. I think he has more and more fun when he is playing on lawn. We can see the joy in his eyes, the incredible competition spirit he has. To see him on lawn is a luxury” For me is a luxury “said Tennis legend Mats Wilander.
Sinner believes that he has “improved a lot on lawn”
Alcaraz travels to Wimbledon as a big favorite, where from Monday it will be about the lawn crown. The player who had recently defeated him there: Jannik Sinner wants to snatch him. When the two players were still far away from their outstanding role, which gave the tennis world the amazingly strong French Open final a few weeks ago, he won in four sets. But now the number one in the world is the challenger.
But how promising is the project for him? In Wimbledon, Sinner has once made it into the half and once into the quarter-finals, there was no more in it. In Halle, he most recently lost to Alexander Bucks in the second round – but overall he sees himself well prepared. “Honestly I improved a lot on lawn. When I was here for the first time, I couldn’t understand how to play. Now I feel much more comfortable and it goes in the right direction”said Sinner.
Jannik Sinner at the Wimbledon Championships 2024
Djokovic is always to be expected in Wimbledon
Alcaraz or Sinner? This question will certainly be asked very often in the next few years. But in Wimbledon it can be expanded. Certainly to Novak Djokovic. Before Alcaraz discovered his Wimbledon gene and defeated the Serbs both times in the final (even smoothly in three sets last year), he had won the last rally of the tournament four times in a row. In total he got the trophy there seven times.
24 Grand Slam-Turniere won Djokovic in his career and he had recently indicated in Paris that he might have played his last match there. Whether it will happen or not, Wimbledon is his greatest chance to make the 25th anniversary perfect. “Wimbledon is the favorite tournament of my childhood. I will do everything I can to prepare for it”said the old master.
Novak Djokovic triumphed seven times in Wimbledon.
The list of those who are in the pot of the extended title candidates is still a little longer. Daniil Medwedew has only been beaten by Alcaraz (each in the semi-finals) in Wimbledon in the past two years, local hero Jack Draper is strong on lawn and has the fans in the back, Halle winner Budik is much to be trusted. But what about Alexander Zverev?
Wimbledon not a good patch for Zverev so far
Before, during and after every Grand Slam tournament, the big topic is that by far the best German tennis player of the past few years has never won one. The sequences were often the same: Zverev is considered a co -favorite in advance, plays through the rounds and nourishes his dream – and it bursts in the second week of the tournament, sometimes even on the last day and the final defeat at the Australian Open against Sinner.
And it is difficult to imagine that this changes in Wimbledon. Zverev has not yet won a rasis tournament in his career, so far he has never reached more than the round of 16 in Wimbledon. The London lawn is always good for surprises, especially among players who have a very good serve. Zverev has that, he also meets him, his chances are greater. And if he plays more confidently in close situations than so often, they get even bigger.
Can Alexander Zverev succeed in the crucial blow in Wimbledon?
He still has this self -confidence on the microphone. When asked about the Wimbledon favorites, Zverev first mentions Alcaraz and then Sinner. “It is open behind it, but not so open either. I only see two or three people who become a topic – I would include”said the 28-year-old. From a very objective point of view, Zverev is not part of the small favorite group in Wimbledon. But maybe that’s the good thing.