Carlos Alcaraz is just a few months past his 21st birthday, but he’s already quite familiar with success in Grand Slam tournaments.
Moving closer to a second consecutive Wimbledon title and his fourth major championship overall, Alcaraz recovered from a shaky start on Friday to defeat Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals at Centre Court.
“I don’t feel like a newcomer anymore. I know what to expect before the final. I’ve been in this position before,” Alcaraz said. “I’ll try to replicate what I did well last year and aim to improve.”
After a lukewarm first set, Alcaraz returned to his energetic, attacking style that has made him a crowd favorite. He was the first teenager to reach No. 1 in the ATP rankings and is the youngest man to win major titles on grass, clay, and hard courts.
Now, the Spaniard is one win away from joining Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg as the only men in the Open era to win multiple Wimbledon titles before turning 22.
Alcaraz also claimed victories at the U.S. Open in 2022 and the French Open last month.
He remains undefeated in major finals, with a 3-0 record, and will face either 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic or Lorenzo Mussetti in Sunday’s final.
Last year at Wimbledon, Alcaraz defeated 2021 U.S. Open champion Medvedev in straight sets in the semifinals before defeating Djokovic in five sets in the final.
This time, under cloudy skies with the retractable roof open, Alcaraz, seeded No. 3, experienced some ups and downs against No. 5 Medvedev, who was aiming for his seventh Grand Slam final appearance.
“I was really, really nervous at the start,” Alcaraz admitted. “He was controlling the match, playing great tennis. … It was tough for me.” Medvedev did take an early 5-2 lead, but then he struggled with his game and his emotions.
Alcaraz broke back to make it 5-4 with a drop shot that umpire Eva Asderaki correctly ruled had bounced twice before Medvedev hit it. Medvedev seemed frustrated and cursed, leading Asderaki to issue a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct after consulting with referee Denise Parnell during the next changeover.
Medvedev then played nearly flawlessly to win the tiebreaker in that set.
Next, Alcaraz seized control. He broke Medvedev’s serve with three forehand errors, taking a 2-1 lead in the third set. One highlight was a backhand winner that ended a 27-stroke rally, the match’s longest. The crowd cheered loudly, and Alcaraz gestured toward his ear in response to the noise.
In the fourth set, Alcaraz secured another crucial break for a 4-3 lead when Medvedev hit a backhand long. Medvedev sat in his chair, visibly frustrated, and talked animatedly with his coaches in the stands.
That’s the effect Alcaraz can have on his opponents.
Almost every time Alcaraz grunted loudly while hitting a powerful forehand, spectators gasped, whether the point was won or not. Most of the match’s 28 forehand winners came from Alcaraz, totaling 24 winners from that shot alone.
Needless to say, that’s not the only thing he’s good at. He performed exceptionally well at the net, whether he was serving and volleying or in other situations, winning 38 out of 53 points when he moved forward. In the first set alone, he won three points with drop shots.
As effective as he is when playing aggressively, his defensive skills are also impressive.
Sometimes, it seems like a rally doesn’t end until he decides it does. If it looks frustrating from the stands, imagine how opponents must feel.
In one instance, Alcaraz left a long skid mark on the grass as he sprinted and slid to reach a ball that seemed out of reach. He lobbed it back, causing Medvedev to make a mistake with his overhead shot.
However, Alcaraz was determined not to engage in the kind of long baseline rallies that Medvedev prefers. Only 38 of the semifinal’s 244 points lasted nine or more shots.
“I tried to avoid long rallies. I used slices, drop shots, and tried to approach the net as much as possible,” Alcaraz explained. “I didn’t want to play his style of game.”
Apart from the Wimbledon men’s final, Sunday’s sports lineup includes the men’s soccer European Championship final in Germany, where Spain will face England.
When Alcaraz mentioned this during his on-court interview by saying, “It’s going to be a great day for the Spanish people too,” he received boos from the crowd. Alcaraz smiled and added, “I didn’t say Spain will win. I just think it will be a really enjoyable day.”
