Erratic Alcaraz battles into Wimbledon fourth round
The world number two had been pushed to the brink in a five-set win over 38-year-old Italian Fabio Fognini in the first round and looked below his best again in a second-round victory over British amateur Oliver Tarvet.
After grinding out his latest underwhelming win, the Spaniard has plenty of room for improvement.
"I knew it was going to be really difficult. I had to be really focused. His game suits the grass with the big serves," Alcaraz said.
"It's stressful. To be honest, I was suffering in every service game today, 0-30, break points down.
"I'm really pleased that I was fighting, running for every ball and making great shots."
In contrast to Alcaraz's laboured efforts, world number one Jannik Sinner -- his main rival at the All England Club -- has dropped just 12 games in his first two matches.
It is hardly time for Alcaraz to panic, however.
He has won his past 21 matches since losing to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April, a streak that has brought him titles at the Rome Masters, the French Open and Queen's Club.
The 22-year-old, who fought back from two sets down to beat Sinner on clay in an epic final at Roland Garros last month, has won 32 of his 35 Tour-level matches on grass.
The five-time Grand Slam winner's last defeat at Wimbledon came against Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.
"He pushed me and it was just about surviving. I'm surprising I'm standing here after four sets," Alcaraz said of the hard-hitting Struff.
Having vanquished Novak Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals, Alcaraz is looking to join an elite group of Wimbledon icons.
He hopes to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles after Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and seven-time champion Djokovic.
Having fretted about his misfiring serve in the first two matches of his title defence, it was a worrying moment for Alcaraz when he started the match with a double-fault.
The Spaniard managed to win that game and quickly broke Struff's serve twice to wrap up the opening set in just 27 minutes.
Alcaraz looked in complete control when he broke again early in the second set.
Yet his serve woes suddenly returned as he was broken in the next game and again in the eighth, allowing the 35-year-old to level the match.
Alcaraz, then still a precocious teenager, had to come from two sets to one down to beat Struff in the Wimbledon first round in 2022.
He was not in quite such a perilous position this time, but the Spaniard was still relieved to take the third set after landing the crucial break in the second game.
Alcaraz was pushed hard in the fourth set before at last delivering the knockout blow.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
4 hours ago
- France 24
Alcaraz faces reformed Rublev as Sabalenka eyes Wimbledon glory
World number one Aryna Sabalenka is the big favourite for the women's title ahead of her meeting against Elise Mertens, while British hopes now lie in the hands of Sonay Kartal and Cameron Norrie. AFP Sport looks at the matches to watch on day seven of the tournament at the All England Club: Win or lose 'in the right way' for Rublev Alcaraz has yet to hit top gear in south-west London after dropping three sets in his three matches en route to round four. Yet, Rublev is aware he has to be at the top of his game to cause an almighty upset and break his curse of never progressing beyond a Grand Slam quarter-final. The world number 14 has reached the last eight on 10 occasions without ever making it to a semi-final. "You cannot show any weaknesses," said Rublev on the challenge of facing Alcaraz. Rublev has already enjoyed a much happier time at Wimbledon than 12 months ago when he repeatedly smashed his racquet over his own leg during a shock first-round exit. But he has credited the influence of two-time Grand Slam champion Marat Safin, himself a notorious hothead in his prime, for bringing some calm to his game. "There are two options," he added. "Try to go deeper. Or if I lose, to lose it in a mature, adult way. "That would be success as well, to lose it in the right way." Pressure-proof Sabalenka a 'new person' Sabalenka is the only woman left standing of the top six seeds, and is keen to make up for lost time at the All England Club. The three-time Grand Slam champion missed last year's Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury and was excluded in 2022 as part of a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes. Sabalenka overcame a stern test of her tennis and temperament to end British favourite Emma Raducanu's run in the third round in arguably the match of the tournament so far. After losing control of her emotions in defeat to Coco Gauff in the French Open final last month, the Belarusian said she feels like a "different person". She added: "Whatever happens on the court, you just have to be respectful, you have to be calm, and you just have to keep trying and keep fighting. "I was just reminding myself that I'm strong enough, and I can handle this pressure." Kartal enjoying the spotlight After the exits of Raducanu and world number four Jack Draper, Kartal and Norrie are tasked with maintaining British interest. South Africa-born Norrie, a Wimbledon semi-finalist three years ago, will fancy his chances of progressing against Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry. Kartal, meanwhile, is enjoying the spotlight after reaching her first ever Grand Slam fourth round, where she will face Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. "I enjoy it. I think it's an honour. Obviously you've got a lot of attention on you, it means you're doing good things," said the 23-year-old. "I feel like I'm going to go out on the court in the next round kind of with nothing to lose at the minute. I'm going to go swinging," she added.
France 24
12 hours ago
- France 24
Sinner equals Wimbledon mark for dominance in first three rounds
Sinner crushed Spanish world number 52 Pedro Martinez, who was carrying a shoulder injury, in a 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 third-round demolition on Centre Court on Saturday. The 23-year-old Italian's loss of only 17 games from his three matches equals the SW19 Open Era record set by Jan Kodes in 1972. "About the games lost, this is whatever. I'm not looking at these kind of records. I know that everything can change very quickly from one round to the other," Sinner said. When Bjorn Borg won the title without dropping a set in 1976, he had conceded 27 games over the first three matches, while Roger Federer, the only other man to achieve the feat in 2017, had lost 28. Sinner is yet to have his serve broken and has faced just eight break points, four of which were repelled against Martinez. He has spent only five hours and 23 minutes on court so far, which is six minutes less than his French Open final defeat by Carlos Alcaraz last month. © 2025 AFP
France 24
12 hours ago
- France 24
'Rarely been so angry': Bayern's Kompany seethes after Musiala injury
The 22-year-old Germany international fell and appeared to suffer a severe ankle injury after an innocuous collision in play with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during the French side's 2-0 quarter-final victory in Atlanta. Musiala was taken off on a stretcher and replaced by Serge Gnabry for the second half. "I've rarely been so angry at half-time, not against my players," Kompany told reporters. "There are many things in life that are much more important than this, but in the end, for these guys, it's their life. "Someone like Jamal lives for this and he (recently) came back from a setback. And then it happens in the way it happens and you feel powerless." Kompany said he wanted his Bayern side to try and find motivation in the injury against the European champions. "You try and get strength out of it because you want to do it for Jamal," explained the Belgian coach. "When I'm sat here next to you now, the thing that gets my blood still boiling at the moment, it's not the result. "I understand this is football, but it's the fact that it happened to someone that, for one, enjoys the game so much, but also is very important for us. "It didn't look good... it looks like an ankle injury of some type, but I'm not going to make a diagnosis here." PSG players also showed support for the youngster -- one of football's most promising young talents. "A shout-out to Jamal Musiala, who suffered a serious injury, it's something you do not want to see on the field," PSG defender Marquinhos told DAZN. "It's important we talk about Jamal Musiala," said Achraf Hakimi. "I want to give my support to him. We hope to see him back on the pitch soon."
