A haunting stillness enveloped Centre Court as the two-time reigning champion stepped onto the court. Wimbledon Champion Carlos Alcaraz faced every club player's ultimate fear—beginning his match with a double fault.
Alcaraz faced his third-round challenger, Jan-Lennard Struff, who failed to capitalize on opportunities, yet this match marked one of several mildly concerning moments for Alcaraz as he aims to join the exclusive group of just four men in the Open Era to claim three consecutive Wimbledon championships.
It seems almost unfair to doubt Alcaraz’s form following a 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory—his 21st consecutive win amid an incredible streak—but somehow, it just does. quite Feels as though he hasn’t quite returned to the form he showed when winning his last two titles at the All England Club—at least not yet.
First there was that unexpectedly challenging opening match against Fabio Fognini who is set to retire after this season, where Alcaraz was pushed to five sets by a 38-year-old player who has never advanced beyond the third round at Wimbledon.
Alcaraz won every set he played without losing one. victory in the second round against Oliver Tarvet but had to fight hard to save several break points—eight just in the first set—against a British opponent ranked below world number 700.
Once more, his skill at fending off break points showed through during the encounter with Struff, as Alcaraz successfully saved two break points in his second serving game. However, Struff did not leave empty-handed in the second set, managing to break Alcaraz’s serve twice en route to tying up the match.
A 6-1 result immediately grabs attention, and true to form, Alcaraz delivered some standout plays. He stepped into a forehand and smashed a powerful shot down the line, earning the loudest applause from the crowd at Centre Court.
However, an overwhelmed Struff struggled immensely in the opening set, managing only 15 points with a mere 35% success rate on his first serves. Considering he depended largely on his service game to compete against someone as skilled as Alcaraz, he would have needed that number to be nearly double—closer to 60 percent—to truly stay competitive.
Tim Henman, Britain’s ex-number-one player, remarked: 'Struff must put that set behind him swiftly,' as Alcaraz surged ahead within 30 minutes of play."
"'Making just 35 percent of your first serves simply won’t be enough.'
Following a stretch where Struff gained some momentum, Alcaraz regained control during the third set—winning it 6–3—with the key moment coming when Struff committed three double faults within a single service game. Credit must go to Alcaraz, whose exceptional shot-making and footwork force opponents such as Struff into attempting riskier shots with narrower margins compared to facing less elite competition, often leading them off target.
The fourth set appeared simple on paper, yet turned out to be far from easy. When Struff found himself ahead 30-0 on his own serve, he stood just two points shy of holding service and pushing the reigning champion into yet another fifth set battle. However, Alcaraz showcased incredible determination during these crucial moments—something that has become one of his trademarks—and managed to pull through again. Let’s not forget, this same fighting spirit was what allowed Alcaraz to overcome tough challenges before.
Preserve three title opportunities in the dramatic Roland Garros showdown
Secure triple match-saving moments during the intense Parisian clay-court decider
Withstand trio of championship threats at an unforgettable Stade Roland-Garros climax
denying Jannik Sinner the chance to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy at Roland Garros.
Losing four sets over two matches to Fognini and Struff isn’t a catastrophe, but it does reveal that Alcaraz is beatable. Considering the form shown by his main competitor, Alcaraz may no longer be seen as the top contender for the championship.
Sinner lost only 12 games during his first two matches, both won in straight sets. Although his opponents weren’t particularly strong, the quality of Sinner’s performance was truly remarkable. “Impossible to play against” was how... John Lloyd from BBC gave commentary about Sinner following his opening match. .
Is Alcaraz, Sinner, or Djokovic the top contender for winning Wimbledon?
Carlos Alcaraz
- Carlitos, a two-time reigning champion, continues to stamp his authority at Wimbledon with Pedigree backing him once more.
- No one competing on the circuit possesses such an extensive array of strategies or techniques for securing victories.
- Jannik Sinner’s tally—on a five-game winning run versus his top competitor
Jannik Sinner
- Sinner has topped the world rankings despite serving a three-month suspension due to a doping violation.
- Extremely reliable—his losses are few and far between (with Alcaraz being the main exception), so an unexpected early departure isn't likely.
- Effortless power – the world’s top ball striker, Sinner can dominate opponents with sheer force
Novak Djokovic
- Carlos Alcaraz poses a serious challenge - not only does he hold an advantage over the top seed in previous encounters but also comes into this match fresh off defeating them at both of their most recent tournaments together.
- Experience – when it comes to being there and doing it time after time in the world of sports, no one surpasses Novak.
- Djokovic Remains Driven with Eyes Set on an Unprecedented 25th Grand Slam Title
Geoffrey Bellshaw, an authority on tennis and one half of the presenting duo for the... Tennis Unfiltered podcast , speaking to Axofa . Catch the newest installment of Tennis Unfiltered now. here .
Of course, Sinner's strong performance isn't unexpected considering where he stands in his career now. He has won three Grand Slam titles so far, and would have possibly added more to his tally if not for some unfortunate circumstances along the way. Alcaraz stages incredible rally in Paris would have claimed his first French Open championship last month.
Daniil Medvedev faced off against Sinner on this same court one year ago. - quite a contrast to the Medvedev who was eliminated earlier this time - whereas the Italian fell short against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals back in 2023.
John McEnroe recently called it 'ridiculous' to think that Sinner could go through his whole career without winning a Wimbledon championship. As he prepares for his third-round clash against Pedro Martinez, he might now be considered the top contender.
Alcaraz, a five-time Grand Slam champion, can—and has—achieved a slightly higher standard than Sinner; however, consistency favors the latter, which explains his position in the world rankings.
"When reflecting on the intense competition at the pinnacle of tennis between Alcaraz and Sinner, it seems like Sinner demonstrates greater consistency," Henman remarked during the BBC . ‘On a scale of 1-10, Sinner is going to play between seven and nine most weeks. Alcaraz can get to nine-and-a-half but there’s times he might dip down to five. We saw that against Fognini. The challenge when playing Alcaraz is he can just turn it on and play at such a high level.’
Alcaraz seemed more tense compared to past seasons at SW19, acknowledging this after a challenging opening round. A few double faults during the initial set versus Struff possibly indicated tightness in his limbs. Stronger opponents could capitalize on these lapses.
He called his clash with Struff 'nerve-wracking' and mentioned during a post-match court interview, 'I struggled through each of my serving games today. It was intense because whenever he had the chance to pressure me, he took it. So I'm truly relieved that I eventually managed to break him and finish the match strongly.'
However, it’s possible that Alcaraz is gradually finding his rhythm in the tournament and could reach his best form during the later rounds, where stronger opponents vying for his title may await him across the court.
Alcaraz and Sinner are broadly recognized as the two most impressive performers at Wimbledon, while an older Djokovic aims to disrupt their momentum. exchanged his role as the Wimbledon pantomime villain and the least favored among the Big Three for that of a widely adored icon at SW19 .
Djokovic managed a short-lived but worrying health problem during the initial stage prior to taking apart Britain's promising player Dan Evans in their previous encounter The 38-year-old 'definitely' thinks he has what it takes to defeat Alcaraz and Sinner — and who could blame him? As a seven-time winner aiming for an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam crown, his confidence isn't unfounded.
You can’t just count out Djokovic yet, though he’ll have to demonstrate his championship potential against stronger opponents before surpassing Alcaraz or Sinner as the top contender.
McEnroe finds it tough to choose between Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic
whereas Toni, Nadal's uncle and former coach,
still considers the reigning champion as the top contender
remains convinced that the current titleholder is the strongest competitor
holds the view that the defending crown holder remains the main rival
is of the opinion that the present champion continues to be the one others must overcome
sticks to the belief that the sitting champ is yet the primary challenger to surpass
.
Nevertheless, one of Sinner's rivals at Wimbledon has pointed out a potential edge the Italian might have against Alcaraz.
"Jannik makes it look incredibly simple to exploit his opponents' vulnerabilities," remarked Aleksandar Vukic following his match against the current Australian and US Open titleholder, during which he managed to win only five games.
Going up against him feels like being trapped in a boxing match where all you can do is grab your corner towel. Comparing this to facing Carlos? Both players seem separated from everyone else by at least two tiers—it's quite obvious. When playing against Carlos, he tends to hand out easier points, giving you some room to relax. But when it comes to Jannik, things change—he tightens his grip constantly without letting you catch even a moment’s break.
Unless there's a major surprise — something that can’t be discounted considering the many upsets seen at Wimbledon this week — the men’s champion appears likely to emerge from among Alcaraz, Sinner, or Djokovic.
It's difficult to foresee who will come out as the winner, but what remains certain is that Wimbledon promises an exciting and mesmerizing closing stretch.
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