1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has stunningly claimed that Carlos Alcaraz’s level is the best he has ever witnessed on grass.
Alcaraz grew up playing on clay and was quickly tipped for French Open success when he first came onto the ATP Tour. The first title of his career was on the dirt at the Croatia Open in Umag. He beat Richard Gasquet in the final, who announced when he will retire.
However, the Spaniard quickly adapted to the other two surfaces. His first Grand Slam title came at the 2022 US Open, a run that included an amazing five-set quarterfinal against the world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz’s lack of experience on grass meant it seemed likely he would struggle on that surface the most. Novak Djokovic was considered an overwhelming favorite for the title ahead of Wimbledon in 2023.
The 21-year-old could not have done a better job of proving his doubters wrong. Last year, he triumphed in one of the best Wimbledon finals ever against Djokovic, with the final score being 1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
That was followed by an even more comprehensive win against the Serbian at this year’s Wimbledon. Alcaraz dismantled Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 in one of the most one-sided Grand Slam finals in recent memory.
The Spaniard is currently in Saudi Arabia playing at the Six Kings Slam exhibition event. He will renew his rivalry against Jannik Sinner in Saturday’s final, while Djokovic is set to play Nadal for possibly the last time on the same day.
It is several months until Alcaraz competes on grass again, with tournaments on hard and clay courts to come before grass events take place again, but Cash will be particularly excited to watch the two-time Wimbledon champion next year.
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