Why Queen's champion Alcaraz is 'red-hot favourite' for Wimbledon

Carlos Alcaraz arrived successful London pinch "no expectations" but pinch Wimbledon only a week distant he has sent an ominous connection to his rivals arsenic he seeks a 3rd successive title.

The world number 2 hit Jiri Lehecka successful nan final astatine Queen's, claiming nan crown for nan 2nd clip and extending his winning streak - nan longest of his profession - to a singular 18 matches.

After beating Roberto Bautista Agut successful Saturday's semi-final, nan Spaniard said "grass-court mode is activated".

He wasn't lying.

This 4th grass-court title intends that Serbia's Novak Djokovic is nan only progressive subordinate to person much titles connected nan aboveground than Alcaraz.

"I came present pinch nary expectations astatine all," Alcaraz said.

"I conscionable came present pinch a extremity to play two, 3 matches, effort to consciousness awesome connected writer moving and springiness myself nan feedback of what I person to improve.

"But I sewage utilized to nan writer really quick, and I'm conscionable really proud astir it. My extremity was complete, and I'm not talking astir lifting nan trophy aliases making nan final."

Alcaraz's past conclusion came backmost successful April against Holger Rune successful nan Barcelona Open last and he has reached 5 successive ATP finals, picking up 4 titles.

Winning Queen's is simply a bully omen for Alcaraz. He lifted nan title successful 2023 and past went connected to triumph astatine Wimbledon.

Just 8 men person completed that double wrong nan aforesaid summertime successful nan Open era.

"You can't really expect amended shape for him to travel into Wimbledon, he's evidently nan subordinate to beat," erstwhile Wimbledon champion Pat Cash said connected BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I wouldn't backmost against him winning nan title astatine Wimbledon ... Alcaraz, red-hot favourite for sure."

Alcaraz has won 5 Grand Slam titles crossed 3 events, pinch nan Australian Open nan only trophy missing from his swelling cabinet.

The 22-year-old's sole US Open triumph came successful 2022 and he sealed a first Wimbledon title nan pursuing year.

In 2024, he doubled up and became 1 of conscionable six men successful nan Open era to triumph nan French Open and Wimbledon successful nan aforesaid season, pursuing successful nan footsteps of Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Djokovic.

Nadal (2008 and 2010) and Borg (1978, 1979, 1980) are nan only men to person won nan clay and grass-court Grand Slams successful nan aforesaid play connected much than 1 occasion.

"Alcaraz had a awesome French Open and to triumph nan French Open and Wimbledon utilized to beryllium almost intolerable ... but successful second years because nan writer courts are overmuch harder pinch a higher bounce we've seen it hap rather a fewer times," Cash added.

"It's still a immense effort because nan exhaustion to triumph a Grand Slam is utmost and he's travel complete present and won this title arsenic well."

This month's Roland Garros last was peculiarly draining arsenic Alcaraz fought backmost from 2 sets down to hit world number 1 Jannik Sinner successful a classical that was nan longest French Open last astatine 5 hours and 29 minutes.

Alcaraz heads to nan All England Club looking to subordinate different elite club.

Just 4 men person won astatine slightest 3 successive Wimbledon titles successful nan Open Era.

Borg won 5 successful a statement betwixt 1976 and 1980, pinch Pete Sampras winning 3 connected nan bounce (1993-1995) earlier bettering that accomplishment erstwhile he won 4 successive titles betwixt 1997 and 2000.

Roger Federer achieved nan feat erstwhile nan Swiss dominated crossed 5 years from 2003 done to 2007 and Djokovic won 4 successful a statement from 2018 to 2022 (there was nary tourney successful 2020 because of nan Covid pandemic).

Alcaraz has consistently shone connected writer courts and he is 5th progressive antheral subordinate to cod 4 aliases much titles connected nan surface, joining Djokovic (eight), Matteo Berrettini (four), Taylor Fritz (four) and Nicolas Mahut (four).

And he is conscionable 1 of 3 Spanish men to triumph 4 grass-court tournaments aft Nadal and Feliciano Lopez.

But Alcaraz has claimed his 4th astatine a overmuch younger property - Nadal was 29 and Lopez was 37.

Alcaraz has mislaid conscionable 5 times successful 2025 but 4 of those defeats came successful nan opening 3 months of nan year.

Djokovic, Lehecka, Jack Draper and David Goffin each recorded victories complete Alcaraz earlier March was complete and Rune is nan only personification to hit him since.

The losses against Lehecka, Draper and Goffin coincided pinch Sinner's absence from nan circuit, while nan Italian served a three-month prohibition for failing 2 doping tests.

Sinner returned successful May, conscionable aft Alcaraz had embarked connected his 18-match winning streak.

Alcaraz seemed to raise his crippled erstwhile he knew his rival was incoming and hit nan Italian doubly successful nan clay-court swing, including in nan French Open final.

The brace person been wide hailed arsenic nan early of tennis and galore judge they are primed to predominate erstwhile Novak Djokovic - nan only progressive personnel of nan 'Big Four' - calls it a day.

Alcaraz has been reaping nan benefits of striking nan correct equilibrium betwixt activity and life during 2025.

After losing against Draper successful nan semi-finals astatine Indian Wells, Alcaraz said he was emotion "too overmuch hate" and made nan telephone to return a short break successful Cancun, Mexico to recharge.

He did nan aforesaid aft his French Open win, opting for a short travel to Ibiza to move disconnected from nan relentless demands of nan ATP circuit.

"That was nan key, conscionable to person five, six days off, not grabbing a racquet, not stepping connected nan court," Alcaraz said.

"After nan picnic that I had successful Cancun pinch my family, I conscionable sewage nan joyousness back, and I commencement to bask playing tennis again, to bask measurement connected nan court, competing again."

Alcaraz is not playing immoderate different tournaments earlier Wimbledon but is not readying to sneak successful a speedy holiday.

Instead, he intends to research what London has to offer.

"I can't spell backmost home. I'm going to enactment present successful London, hopefully bask London a small bit," Alcaraz added.

"Let's spot really it's going to beryllium successful nan adjacent days, but I'm going to person my days disconnected to remainder up, to enjoy, and past beryllium backmost and preparing for Wimbledon successful nan champion measurement possible."