Is anyone surprised by Alcaraz success at Wimbledon?

[GRASScaraz]

I certainly am given how he hates fast hard courts. I know the common retort to that is Wimbledon slows in the 2nd week, but it’s still grass court tennis

For a guy to win 2 Wimbledons without a dominant serve IMO defies logic.

So how has he done it? Luck? Amazing defense? Everyone else sucks at grass? Weakest grass era ever?

 

[ojo rojo]

For a guy to win 2 Wimbledons without a dominant serve IMO defies logic.

Rafa says hola

 

[Aussie Darcy]

No

 

[cha cha]

First week consists of opponents he could take with his eyes closed.
Second week is a clay court tournament.

 

[FeroBango]

Has for grass everything - every single thing including conventional and sliding movment if needed. His serving is accentuated by the skid of the grass and his improving placement should only make things better wrt to serving.


Movement, forecourt skills, defence, clean offense, and a bit of the Alcaraz magic.

 

[dking68]

First week consists of opponents he could take with his eyes closed.
Second week is a clay court tournament.

Let’s see

 

[ChrisJR3264]

I certainly am given how he hates fast hard courts. I know the common retort to that is Wimbledon slows in the 2nd week, but it’s still grass court tennis

For a guy to win 2 Wimbledons without a dominant serve IMO defies logic.

So how has he done it? Luck? Amazing defense? Everyone else sucks at grass? Weakest grass era ever?

I think he just has a feel for the grass. Movement and timing. Courts aren’t as fast as they used to be. As the court gets worn, the court speed is slow.

I don’t agree with one of the comments that “can beat opponents in his sleep”.

Carlos isn’t terrible on faster conditions but more vulnerable to an upset. Foe took it to him but couldn’t close last year in round 3 and usually since Wimbledon is faster week 1, a tough draw could leave that window cracked.

What folks tend to forget when they say Carlos has no plan B when things aren’t working. I disagree. We tend to pick apart the times he doesn’t go to it or plan b doesn’t work. But LY - Tommy Paul came out attacking and alcaraz kinda just played boring tennis to get him in 4 at Wimbledon qtrs.

At the end of the day : Carlos should be in the finals again. Draw will be important. And he’s going for 3 in a row which is in rare company of the all time greats to 3 peat.

 

[Kralingen]

Athleticism and shotmaking will always play on grass. He has those better than anyone on Tour. He has the touch and quick twitch movement on the grass to capitalize on the chaos of the surface. He also has made improvements to his FH return, he plays close to the baseline and cushions the ball back rather than the all-out swings he frustratingly uses on HC.

Add to that the mug field which allowed a geriatric Djokovic to completely dominate, and it allows Raz to win, albeit barely (scraping by Tiafoe and imo being lucky to win in ‘23)

 

[Hood_Man]

I was and wasn't if that makes any sense? Not necessarily because of grass court skill but because he was so young, it felt like the age of the dominant youngster was over and we were going to see slam finals contested between guys aged late 20s to mid thirties forever.

When he won Queens I did get excited but then we'd seen that story before with Dimitrov nearly a decade prior, and that was very short lived.

Seeing him win last year wasn't very shocking, and if he did it again this year I'd still be excited but it now feels like him not winning would be the major story.

 

[Martin J]

Athleticism and shotmaking will always play on grass. He has those better than anyone on Tour. He has the touch and quick twitch movement on the grass to capitalize on the chaos of the surface. He also has made improvements to his FH return, he plays close to the baseline and cushions the ball back rather than the all-out swings he frustratingly uses on HC.

Add to that the mug field which allowed a geriatric Djokovic to completely dominate, and it allows Raz to win, albeit barely (scraping by Tiafoe and imo being lucky to win in ‘23)

Yeah, this is crucial for grass, plus his offensive mindset and the explosiveness of his forehand really pay off well on the surface, especially in this "modern", post 2000 era. He's also one of the guys who likes the net, which I really appreciate and with another coach, who would influence him to develop his game even further in that department, he would become even more effective player.

Lack of specialists is another reason (maybe the biggest one), hitting big serves and knowing how to play at the net (on old or new grass) is still the most rewarding strategy to take advantage of this surface's properties, just they don't teach them to play that way anymore. Him losing his serve so many times last year wasn't a good sign, and if you have players who rush you constantly during a match, the pressure rises more and makes you more prone to errors.

 

[ojo rojo]

Athleticism and shotmaking will always play on grass. He has those better than anyone on Tour. He has the touch and quick twitch movement on the grass to capitalize on the chaos of the surface. He also has made improvements to his FH return, he plays close to the baseline and cushions the ball back rather than the all-out swings he frustratingly uses on HC.

Add to that the mug field which allowed a geriatric Djokovic to completely dominate, and it allows Raz to win, albeit barely (scraping by Tiafoe and imo being lucky to win in ‘23)

This surely must be down to the grass court prowess of his coach, who’s best grass result was a QF Wimbledon loss to nonother than Queens GOAT Señor Andre Murya in 2009. Fortuitously for eventual champion, Rog Fedr, instead of having to deal with yet another tricky Spaniard, as he had miraculously avoided a few weeks earlier in Paris, it was down to his two pigeons, both named Andy, to fight it out for a place in the final

 

[Jonas78]

Yes im a bit surprised, and i dont really think he will end up a 7-8x winner.

All the great grass players are huge servers (well maybe not Djoker), and Carlo isnt, it makes him vulnerable. Like with Rafa, i can suddenly see him having an early upset.

 

[Moose Malloy]

I definitely thought it would be impossible for a male player to win Wimbledon while getting broken 20 times, esp in an era where serve hold%'s are the highest they've ever been. He does sort of define logic. Even in 80s no player was broken that much and still won Wimbledon(wish we had serve numbers for all W champions, to put how rare what Alcaraz did into perspective. Nadal protected his serve much better on grass the years he won it - he even held serve 80 straight times one year IIRC)

 

[ALCARAZWON]

As Agassi said, everybody loses 20% of their foot-speed on grass, except for Alcaraz.
He's probably faster than everyone on clay/hardcourt, and he's WAY faster than everyone on grass.
And he'll get better every year, given his lack of experience on the surface...
Alcaraz is destined to be The King of Grass.

 

[Mustard]

Not really. Alcaraz has a certain impatience and he always wants to play great all the time. Grass suits him because it rewards aggressive and instinctive play.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Nothing surprises me anymore.

 

[Thundergod]

He movement still being elite on grass is probably the most important thing and his aggressive play is rewarded.

It also helps that the grass competition has been largely a wasteland the last 15 years, even moreso the last 6-7 years.

 

[Jonas78]

He movement still being elite on grass is probably the most important thing and his aggressive play is rewarded.

It also helps that the grass competition has been largely a wasteland the last 15 years, even moreso the last 6-7 years.

Not to be underestimated. I think Sinner will take another huge step up on grass this year.

 

[Jonas78]

I definitely thought it would be impossible for a male player to win Wimbledon while getting broken 20 times, esp in an era where serve hold%'s are the highest they've ever been. He does sort of define logic. Even in 80s no player was broken that much and still won Wimbledon(wish we had serve numbers for all W champions, to put how rare what Alcaraz did into perspective. Nadal protected his serve much better on grass the years he won it - he even held serve 80 straight times one year IIRC)

Because the toughest competition on grass the last years has been over the top Nole? Even most of the top players behind new Big3 have grass as their worst surface.

 

[SonnyT]

Compared to whom? There's only one bona fide player on the circuit! Unless Sinner steps it up, Alcaraz should dominate the next 10 years in Wimbledon!

 

[Pheasant]

A physical beast like Alcaraz is dangeous on all surfaces. He’s the fastest runner on grass by a wide margin and he hits cannot shots from both wings. He’s also very good at the net. And he won 40% of his return points on grass last year. As a matter of fact, his return points won percentage is up there with prime Fed, who won 40.2% of his return points on grass in 2007.

So there you have it. He’s a speed burner that has cannon shots from both wings that also is a great returner on the surface. Toss in a very good net game and killer drop shots and you have a great grass court player. Barring injuries, that skill set should be good for 5-6 career Wimbeldon titles.

 

[DSH]

Not really. Alcaraz has a certain impatience and he always wants to play great all the time. Grass suits him because it rewards aggressive and instinctive play.

This.