Carlos Alcaraz has figured out grass, at least to an extent the other No. 1 seed at Wimbledon — Iga Swiatek — did not.
There are clear parallels between Alcaraz and Swiatek. They are both luminously talented, are quick around the court, and can shape the ball in many different ways, hitting with a weight of shot which gets their opponents off balance. They both show occasional glimpses of weakness and incompleteness, however. When they are not playing at their best, and they are not relaxed on the court, they will pull the trigger early on shots and try to win points right away. The reality of being World No. 1 seems to escape them at times. Swiatek and Alcaraz occasionally lose sight of how good they are. They should be extremely patient. They can wait out opponents and hit the extra ball. They can play with more margin than just about everyone else on tour. They don’t have to go for the lines or corners, but they often do. They will try to hit the perfect shot and go for the showstopping winner. Yes, they’re capable of hitting amazing shots, but that’s the wrong lesson to take from being World No. 1. Being the best should translate to more patience, more of a willingness to play the percentages instead of going for broke.
Underdogs are supposed to go for broke and take chances. Players such as Alcaraz and Swiatek shouldn’t feel the need unless they receive a supreme challenge from Novak Djokovic or Aryna Sabalenka. Against just about everyone else, they shouldn’t get impatient. They shouldn’t feel the need to force the action. When they’re off their games, Alacaraz and Swiatek get impatient.
At this Wimbledon in 2023, it’s very clear that Carlos Alcaraz learned how to be patient and Swiatek did not. Alcaraz trusted his game plan, his shot sequences, and his athleticism. He absorbed some good punches from opponents, particularly Nicolas Jarry and Matteo Berrettini, also Holger Rune in the first set of the quarterfinals. Swiatek was rushing far too often, and it’s notable that after seemingly learning how to be more patient in the latter stages of her fourth-round win over Belinda Bencic, Swiatek reverted to her impatient, erratic game against Elina Svitolina in the quarters.
Alcaraz has pretty much figured out grass. He took on the World No. 3 — Daniil Medvedev, a player who has reached several major finals — and dismantled him 3, 3 and 3 in under two hours.
Alcaraz’s draw at Wimbledon was anything but a piece of cake. Jarry is a top-30 player who played really well in the third round. Berrettini is a former Wimbledon finalist. Rune is one of the up-and-coming stars of the men’s game and a guy who showed at this tournament, once again, that he does not make it easy for opponents to knock him out. He might go down, but he’ll go down fighting. Medvedev is a thoroughly credentialed player who reached his first Wimbledon semifinal this year.
Alcaraz solved all of them without going to a fifth set. He never came especially close to losing, particularly against Rune or Club Med.
Alcaraz has this grass thing figured out. The surface has been understood, the challenges of the battle grasped and responded to.
That box has been checked.
Sunday, though, Alcaraz won’t be tasked with figuring out grass tennis. He’ll be asked to figure out Novak Djokovic, who reached his 35th major final by beating Jannik Sinner in straight sets.
Djokovic is going for an 8th Wimbledon title and a 24th major championship. He’s going for five straight Wimbledons dating back to 2018 (the 2020 tournament was canceled due to the pandemic). He’s going for a third major this year and a chance at the Grand Slam. He’s going for four straight majors in four straight appearances, since he wasn’t allowed to play in the 2022 U.S. Open.
Grass? That’s easy. Djokovic is the hard part for Carlos Alcaraz. The youngster has the game, but does he have the mindset and the innergame to stand up to Djokovic? His tennis wasn’t all that bad against Djokovic in the Roland Garros semifinals, but he was so stressed out that his body short-circuited. Alcaraz has to play well, compete well, AND manage his emotions and body well. He did 2 of 3 against Djokovic in Paris, but to beat a champion of Nole’s caliber, 3 of 3 is required, nothing less.
Grass? Check. Djokovic? We’ll see if Carlos Alcaraz can check this box, and do what Rafael Nadal couldn’t do against Roger Federer in the 2006 Wimbledon final: Beat the reigning king of Centre Court on a first try in a championship showdown at The All-England Club.
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