Alcaraz fights back to reach Wimbledon Quarterfinals, Norrie joins him as Top Seeds Consolidate
Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time defending Wimbledon champion, once again put his legion of fans through a rollercoaster of emotions on Sunday before ultimately dismissing 14th seed Andrey Rublev to secure his spot in the Wimbledon quarter-finals. The Spaniard's gritty 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory under the Centre Court roof keeps his bid for an unprecedented third consecutive title firmly on track.
Related News: Alcaraz battles past Lehecka to win second Queen鈥檚 Club Title ahead of Wimbledon defense
While his main rivals, seven-time Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic and world number one Jannik Sinner, have displayed ominous, largely flawless form throughout the tournament, Alcaraz has endured a more tumultuous path. His latest win over Rublev, a two-hour and 43-minute battle, saw him drop his third set of the tournament. He was previously taken to five sets by veteran Italian Fabio Fognini in his opening match and dropped a set against journeyman Jan-Lennard Struff in the third round.
Related News: How many times has Jannik Sinner won Wimbledon?
In contrast, Jannik Sinner has been a model of efficiency, not dropping a single set and losing just 17 games on his way to the fourth round, equalling an Open Era record for fewest games dropped into the men's singles fourth round at Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic, too, was in imperious form in his third-round clash, dispatching fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic with a dominant 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 victory.
Alcaraz's Resilience Shines Through
Against Rublev, Alcaraz initially struggled to find his rhythm, despite flashes of brilliance. Rublev capitalized, snatching the first set in a tiebreak. However, the 22-year-old Spaniard's characteristic resilience shone through. He engineered a crucial break in the eighth game of the second set to level the match. The third set saw a tight contest, with Rublev squandering chances. Alcaraz then brought the partisan crowd to its feet with a sensational forehand winner to secure another break, ultimately sealing the set with an audacious drop shot. The writing was on the wall for Rublev when he lost his serve in the fifth game of the fourth set, allowing Alcaraz to close out the match without further drama.
Related News: ATP roundup: Andrey Rublev claims second Qatar Open title, Sebastian Baez eyes Rio Open repeat
Despite the occasional wobble, Alcaraz and Sinner remain the undisputed top dogs of men's tennis, sharing the past six Grand Slam titles between them as the era of the "Big Three" gradually recedes. Alcaraz, in particular, holds a significant edge on grass, boasting an impressive 33 wins from 36 Tour-level matches on the surface. His last defeat at Wimbledon came against Sinner in the fourth round in 2022, and he is now on a career-best 22-match winning streak since April, which includes titles at the Rome Masters, the French Open, and Queen's Club before Wimbledon.
Related News: Wimbledon 2025: Djokovic secures 100th win at SW19 to reach fourth round
Having famously vanquished Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals (2023 and 2024), Alcaraz is now looking to join an elite group of Wimbledon icons. He aims to become only the fifth man in the Open era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles, following in the footsteps of legends such as Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.
Norrie Through, Kartal Bows Out
Meanwhile, British hope Cameron Norrie also secured his place in the quarter-finals, battling past Chile's Nicolas Jarry in a grueling five-set epic (6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-7(5), 6-3) that lasted over four and a half hours. Norrie, the world No. 61 and a semi-finalist here in 2022, becomes only the third British man in the last 50 years (after Tim Henman and Andy Murray) to reach the last eight more than once at Wimbledon, and is now the last remaining home player in the men's singles draw. Norrie will face Alcaraz in the quarter-finals.
Related News: When is Cameron Norrie vs Carlos Alcaraz quarter-final at Wimbledon?
However, the run of British wildcard Sonay Kartal came to an end. Kartal, who had a commendable tournament run, was overpowered by veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (7-6 (7-3), 6-4) in her fourth-round match. Her exit marks the end of British representation in the women's singles draw.
As Wimbledon 2025 moves into its second week, the narrative of the men's singles seems to be shaping into a battle between the consistent brilliance of Sinner and Djokovic, and the resilient, crowd-pleasing, yet occasionally tested, prowess of the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz. The quarter-finals promise to deliver more captivating grass-court action.
SportsLigue
