Carlos Alcaraz is a champion on grass and back at world No 1. Of the two achievements, only one of them was beyond the expectations of a player who has risen so quickly and so suddenly to the top of the game. The top spot in the rankings had already been accomplished by the age of 19, but just a few days ago the idea of claiming a title on grass appeared to be years away. The Spaniard arrived at Queen’s looking to find his feet; he leaves as the champion and the top seed for Wimbledon. Maybe Novak Djokovic has some competition after all.
“Right now I feel one of the favourites to win Wimbledon,” Alcaraz smiled. Winning Queen’s has had a transformative effect on his confidence ahead of the grand slam. A first grass-court title in only his third tournament on the surface stands as one of the most memorable of his young career.
