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Alcaraz Edges Closer to Wimbledon Glory

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Carlos Alcaraz defeats Taylor Fritz to reach Wimbledon final, one win away from three-peat. Read match highlights and analysis.


Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame American fifth seed Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) in a grueling two hours and 49 minutes on Centre Court. Alcaraz battled through searing heat to reach his third consecutive Wimbledon final. With Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio in attendance, Alcaraz emerged victorious in the intense match.


As the mercury rose close to 32 degrees Celsius, play was interrupted by several fans taken ill, but Alcaraz kept his cool to subdue the big-serving Fritz with his sublime returns and immaculate serving of his own.


The 22-year-old will play seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic or world number one Jannik Sinner in Sunday's final.




Alcaraz holds a favorable head-to-head record against potential final opponents, having beaten Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals and leading Sinner 8-4 in their 12 meetings. After his win over Fritz, Alcaraz said, “It was a really difficult match, as always when I play against Taylor. Even tougher with the conditions. It was really hot today.”


Alcaraz boasts an impressive grass-court record, winning 35 of 38 matches. This golden run includes 20 consecutive Wimbledon victories since his 2022 loss to Sinner. He's the second Spaniard to reach three Wimbledon finals, following Rafael Nadal, a five-time finalist.


Alcaraz credited his mental composure for the win, saying, “I dealt with the nerves. Playing here in a semi-final is not easy. I'm really proud with the way I stayed calm and thought clearly. I'm pleased about my level.” Having overcome an inconsistent start to the tournament, the world No. 2 appears poised to extend his Wimbledon reign.


The world No. 2 has rediscovered his top form after a shaky tournament start and appears ready to retain his Wimbledon title. Alcaraz is riding a career-best 24-match winning streak, which began after his loss to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April.


Alcaraz Aims for History

Alcaraz is just one win away from joining an elite group of tennis legends, seeking to become the fifth man in the Open era to win three consecutive Wimbledon titles after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, and Djokovic.


He can also become the second-youngest player in the Open era to win six men's Grand Slam titles after Borg reached that mark at Wimbledon in 1978 aged 22.


Fritz fell short in his bid to reach a second Grand Slam final.




Fritz, 27, put up a valiant effort as the US Open runner-up last year, but Alcaraz, who had won their previous encounters, quickly took control. Despite Fritz's potent serve, which yielded 95 aces on his way to the semifinals, Alcaraz's exceptional return game effectively neutralized the threat, allowing him to break in the match's opening game.


Alcaraz needed his eye checked midway through the set, but there was no loss of focus from the Spaniard as he held serve to take the opener.


Having dropped just four of 24 points on his serve in the first set, the Spaniard found himself under fire in the second.


Fritz pounced on a rare sloppy game from Alcaraz to take the set when the Spaniard produced an ill-timed double-fault and two costly unforced errors.




Alcaraz remained composed under pressure, regaining momentum with a clever drop shot and precise lob to break Fritz in the third game's third set. Alcaraz's nearly flawless serve allowed him to add another break, solidifying a 2-1 lead.


The fourth set's tiebreaker was intense, with Fritz rallying from 4-1 down to lead 6-4, but Alcaraz saved both set points. Sensing victory, Alcaraz unleashed a flurry of sharp groundstrokes, securing the set and his spot in the final.



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