Carlos Alcaraz will get Wimbledon want with Queen’s win as he sends Djokovic warning
Carlos Alcaraz picked up the primary grass-court title of his profession as he downed Alex de Minaur 6-4 6-4 to win Queen’s. With the victory, the Spaniard will return to the highest of the rankings on Monday and is assured to be the highest seed at Wimbledon – overtaking Novak Djokovic.
Alcaraz was taking part in simply the third grass match of his profession and his first on the ATP Tour. The 20-year-old was modest about his expectations at Queen’s firstly of the week regardless of being the highest seed and didn’t see himself as a title favorite.
But he continued to enhance with every match and – by the ultimate – admitted he may see himself successful Wimbledon at the least as soon as. With Alcaraz producing his finest grass-court match but within the semi-final he appeared to maintain constructing on that type in opposition to de Minaur, who already has a grass-court title from Eastbourne in 2021.
It was the Australian who was first to arrange two break factors within the first set however Alcaraz discovered some large serves on the excellent time to save lots of them. He went on to interrupt within the very subsequent sport himself and closed out the opener 6-4 in 50 minutes.
Alcaraz then took a medical day out to obtain therapy on his proper thigh, with the physio intervention coming as a shock after his sturdy opening set. But the world No 2 didn’t let his degree drop and continued to press the seventh seed.
The 20-year-old broke to guide 3-2 within the second set and it was sufficient to get him to the end line, as de Minaur didn’t arrange any break factors after blowing two within the first set. Alcaraz went on to serve it out 6-4 6-4 in an hour and 39 minutes to raise his eleventh profession title and first on the grass.
Alcaraz will now return to No 1 within the rankings on Monday, leapfrogging Djokovic. The pair have been in a relay race for the highest spot all season as they’ve continued to swap round on the peak of the rankings.
And it comes at a vital time because the Spaniard would be the high seed at Wimbledon, with the draw being made on Friday. Ahead of the ultimate, Alcaraz made it no secret that the No 1 rating was even more motivation to lift the title.
“It’s an extra motivation for me,” he stated after the semi-final. “Obviously during the match I’m not thinking about that, but is an extra motivation for me, you know, to go into the final with extra energy. You know, I’m gonna go for it. Obviously being top seed at Wimbledon, being No 1, for me, it’s still a dream.”