LONDON (AP) Carlos Alcaraz’s first match on a grass courtroom got here simply six years in the past.

He’s clearly a fast research.

When Wimbledon will get began Monday, the 22-year-old from Spain will play within the first Centre Court docket match of this fortnight, an honor reserved for the earlier 12 months’s males’s champion. The competition towards Fabio Fognini will open Alcaraz’s a bid for a 3rd consecutive championship on the place.

That’s one thing solely 4 males have achieved within the Open period, which started in 1968: Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Not unhealthy firm.

Alcaraz already is 5-0 in Grand Slam finals, which incorporates going 2-0 on the French Open which he received three weeks in the past through a comeback from two units down towards No. 1 Jannik Sinner within the last and 1-0 on the U.S. Open.

Final 12 months, the No. 2-ranked Alcaraz grew to become the youngest man to win a significant trophy on every floor: grass, clay and arduous courts.

However he’s bought a passion for the inexperienced stuff.

Essentially the most stunning tennis that we will watch is on grass. The fashion that the individuals convey to the courtroom after they play on grass. … The sound of the ball, mentioned Alcaraz, who will go into Monday on a career-best 18-match profitable streak, together with a title on the Queen’s Membership event final weekend. The motion is actually robust, however if you get it, its type of (as if) youre flying.

He loves that it permits him to point out off the range in his sport and the entire expertise he possesses.

Few gamers smile as a lot as Alcaraz does whereas within the thick of issues, it doesn’t matter what challenges may be offered by the foe throughout the web or the stress of the second. He’s as artistic because it will get with a racket in hand, generally to his personal detriment, and admits having fun with seeing replays on enviornment video screens after a few of his finest deliveries (that expertise isn’t used on the All England Membership, however maybe it ought to be).

I actually wish to hit slices, drop pictures, going to the web on a regular basis, taking part in aggressively, mentioned Alcaraz, who mentioned he misplaced to two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray throughout a spherical of golf early within the week. I believe on grass its the fashion that you need to play, in order that’s what I like essentially the most.

It’s instructive to listen to what Djokovic needed to say about Alcaraz after a straight-set loss in final 12 months’s last on the All England Membership.

He simply was higher than me in each facet of the sport, Djokovic mentioned. In motion, in the best way he was simply placing the ball fantastically, serving nice. Every part.

These phrases carry weight. Djokovic has received seven of his mens-record 24 Grand Slam trophies at Wimbledon however was the runner-up to Alcaraz in 2023 and 2024.

In the case of the concept of becoming a member of an elite group by finishing a three-peat in two weeks’ time, Alcaraz insisted that isn’t the kind of factor he actually cares about or spends time contemplating.

He desires the title, sure. However the place it will place him in historical past? Depart that to others.

I actually wish to elevate the trophy, Alcaraz mentioned. However proper now, Im not enthusiastic about who I may be part of if I win three Wimbledons in a row.

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Howard Fendrich has been the APs tennis author since 2002. Discover his tales right here: https://apnews.com/creator/howard-fendrich. Extra AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis