Carlos Alcaraz reached his first Wimbledon semi-final on Wednesday when he defeated 20-year-old Holger Rune. For the Spaniard, it was another memorable moment in his already record-breaking career.
“It’s a dream for me to be able to play semi-final here at Wimbledon,” Alcaraz said after his straight sets win.
“I remember the first time that I came here, it was an unbelievable feeling to be able to play here. Right now it’s totally different for me. I can’t believe that I’m in this position right now in just a short period. It’s something crazy for me,” he later continued.
Chasing a second major title after triumphing at the US Open last year, Alcaraz will next face Daniil Medvedev. Alcaraz lost against Medvedev at Wimbledon in straight sets in 2021 when he was No. 75 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. The Spaniard has since risen to No. 1 and lifted 11 tour-level titles. The 20-year-old, who is into his third major semi-final, is hoping to learn from their previous meeting.
“He’s playing great here on grass,” Alcaraz said. “He has had a great, great year as well. I lost the first match we played here on grass. So I have to learn about it…. He’s a really complete player. I think Rublev said a few times, he’s an octopus. He’s an amazing athlete.
“But [I am] going to enjoy the semi-final. I think I’m playing great, a lot of confidence right now, so it’s going to be a really good match I think.”
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The 20-year-old Alcaraz’s match against the World No. 6 Rune was the first men’s Wimbledon quarter-final battle in the Open Era (since 1968) to be contested between two players aged under 21.
The Spaniard and Dane went blow for blow during a tight first set before the World No. 1 edged the tie-break to lead. Alcaraz, who let out a huge roar after moving ahead, feels that this was a turning point in the match.
“The first set, it was really tough for me. A lot of nerves,” Alcaraz said. “I couldn’t control it at all. I was able to win the first set [and] that was key to turn around a little bit my emotions.
“It helped me a lot that huge scream after the first set to put out all the nerves and start to enjoy the moment, to enjoy the match. Smiling for me, as I said a few times, is the key of everything.”