One of the biggest challenges in tennis is winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year, and the three-week gap between tournaments makes that challenge even greater.
In the Open era, only five tennis players won the Grand Slam on clay and grass in the same year: Rod Laver, Björn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Laver reached that achievement in 1969 (then he won both the Australian Open and the US Open), and then Borg was the undisputed ruler of Paris and London from 1978 to 1980.
Almost three decades later, Laver and Borg were joined by Nadal. In those years, the Spaniard dominated at Roland Garros, won the fourth Musketeer Cup in 2008, and then, in the famous Wimbledon final, he defeated Roger Federer and after five years dethroned him at the third Grand Slam.
A year later, Federer repeated Nadal's success, but Robin Soderling helped him a lot. The Swede eliminated Rafa in the Round of 2009 at Roland Garros, which was the Spaniard's first loss in Paris in four years. Soderling even reached the final where Federer was better, who in XNUMX reached the only title at Roland Garros. Then the Swiss regained the title at Wimbledon, defeating Andy Roddick in the final and joining Laver, Borg and Nadal.
The last tennis player who won Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year was Novak Djokovic. Three years ago, the Serbian tennis player defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in Paris, and then Mateo Beretini in the Wimbledon final, after a big turnaround and five sets.
Djokovic was able to repeat that performance last year as well. He arrived at Wimbledon as the current champion of Roland Garros (he defeated Kasper Rud in the final), but he lost in the final of the biggest tennis tournament to Carlos Alcaraz, who this summer could become the sixth tennis player to win the title in Paris and London in a calendar year.
Yesterday, in the Roland Garros final, Alkaras beat Aleksander Zverev after five sets. The Spaniard reached his third Grand Slam title in his third final. He became the youngest tennis player to win three Grand Slams on three different surfaces.
"Winning the US Open, when I was ranked number one for the first time - which was my dream - was a special feeling. How I won Wimbledon, beating Novak Djokovic in five sets, that was a great achievement. Now this Roland Garros, after everything I've been through, because of the injury, the break... I'm probably the most proud of this title, because I know what my team and I went through to be ready for this tournament - can I train or not, great discussions... It was very difficult for me, that's why I will single out this title", said Alkaras after winning Roland Garros.
The Spaniard will prepare for Wimbledon at the tournament in Queens, where he is defending his title, after defeating De Minoro in the final last year. The tournament is scheduled from June 17 to 23. If he defends the title in Queens, and then celebrates at Wimbledon, Alcaraz will become the first tennis player after Rafael Nadal, who managed to win Roland Garros, and then Queens and Wimbledon. In 2008, Nadal won those three tournaments.
Alkaras will be the second seed at Wimbledon, after starting today he is the second tennis player on the ATP list, behind Janik Siner, who is at the top of world tennis for the first time in his career.
"I don't have to play brilliantly, I don't always have to be the best version of myself to win. If you are weak mentally, you probably won't be able to overcome obstacles even when you play well. "A strong head wins slams," Alkaras said.
Wimbledon is scheduled from July 1 to 14.
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