WIMBLEDON/WASHINGTON, July 7, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)
For as unpredictable and, at times, crazy the first week of the 138th edition of the Wimbledon Championships has been with seeded players being upset right and left during the early rounds, credit Carlos Alcaraz for bringing some stability to the All England Club. Thank goodness.
The third and final Centre Court match on Middle Sunday pitted the two-time defending champion Alcaraz against No. 14 seed Andrey Rublev. What was surprising was it was the first meeting between Top 20 players in the men’s singles draw at Wimbledon this year.
By the end of the two-hour, 44-minute skirmish played with the roof closed – their first meeting on grass – the 22-year-old Spaniard rolled into the quarterfinals with his 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Rublev. It was Alcaraz’s 22nd consecutive tour-level victory and his 18th straight at Wimbledon dating back to the start of his 2023 title run.
Alcaraz equaled Feliciano Lopez and Manuel Santana for second place on the all-time list for most Wimbledon men’s singles quarterfinal appearances by a Spanish player (three), behind Rafael Nadal‘s eight.
Carlos Alcaraz advances to the quarter-finals for the third year in a row
He defeats Andrey Rublev 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/O3llbLwy7d
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2025
The Alcaraz-Rublev round of 16 clash of titans was riveting. They combined to hit 70 winners – including 28 aces – and there were 239 total points played. Alcaraz accounted for 41 winners – 22 of them aces – and converted four of 11 break points. He won 22 of 29 net points. By comparison, Rublev delivered 29 winners – including six aces – but broke Alcaraz just once in four tries. He won 10 of 24 net points. Alcaraz outpointed Rublev 129-110.
“Andrey is one of the most powerful – if not the most powerful – players we have on tour, without a doubt,” Alcaraz said during his on-court interview, in complimenting the Russian No. 2 from Moscow. “He is so aggressive with the ball to that forehand, that shot is very difficult to face.
“You feel he is pushing you to the limit in every ball, running from side to side, so that makes it very difficult to face him.”
Just watch this.
This stunning passing shot by Carlos Alcaraz is the Play of the Day, presented by @BarclaysUK #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/vfmDhgjozS
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2025
For one set – roughly the first 51 minutes of the match – Rublev controlled the match and many were worried about whether Alcaraz could come back from being a set down. He did and he kept the 27-year-old Rublev guessing – changing the rhythm of how he played – and even added some serve-and-volley tactics. By the end of the match, everything seemed to work just fine for Alcaraz.
“I’m really happy with the way I moved today. I think I played intelligent and smart today tactically,” Alcaraz said. “It was a really good match which I am really proud about.”
Alcaraz has now won 13 of his last 14 matches he has played against Top 20 players at the majors. He now has a 23-9 win-loss record against Top 20 players at the Grand Slams overall.
As Alcaraz passes the midway point of this year’s British fortnight, he needs to collect three more wins, starting with Tuesday’s last eight match-up against the last British singles player standing – man or woman – in Cameron Norrie. The 61st-ranked British No. 3 went the distance to defeat 143rd-ranked Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-3, in four hours and 27 minutes on No. 1 Court.
18 consecutive wins at #Wimbledon
✨ @carlosalcaraz ✨ pic.twitter.com/oMiSe2ftRG
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2025
If Alcaraz succeeds against Norrie, he would face either No. 5 seed Taylor Fritz of the United States or No. 17 seed Karen Khachanov of Russia, who meet Tuesday in the quarterfinal round, in Friday’s semifinals. Top-seeded Jannik Sinner looms large on the other side of the draw.
While it’s too early to tell whether Alcaraz will have a chance to go after a Wimbledon three-peat next Sunday, whether it be in a Roland-Garros rematch against Sinner or another opponent, he knows that a lot of his success is “just about belief in yourself. It doesn’t matter if you are set to love down.
“Tennis is a sport where it can change in just one point. One point can change the match can completely and turn everything around,” he said after defeating Rublev. “You have to stay there all the time, be strong mentally. I knew I was going to play better than in the first set.”
“It’s just about belief”
Carlos Alcaraz reflects on coming back from one set down against Andrey Rublev. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/1X8fW54TTC
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2025
Around the All England Club
World No. 1 and top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy has been impressive this Wimbledon, recording three victory while losing just 17 total games. He’s equalled Jan Kodes’ Open Era record set in 1972 for fewest games dropped to reach the round of 16.
On Monday, Sinner returns to action against No. 19 seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, whom he has not lost to for more than five years. Another win for Sinner will advance him to his seventh straight Grand Slam quarterfinal, something just eight men’s players in the Open Era have achieved. Meanwhile, Dimitrov will be looking to reach the last eight at Wimbledon for the second time, 11 years after his first quarterfinal appearance in 2014.
Monday’s Wimbledon order of play
By the numbers
If 38-year-old Novak Djokovic should defeat No. 11 seed Alex de Minaur in their fourth-round match on Monday, he would be become the third man in the Open Era to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon aged 38 or older, joining Ken Rosewall (1974) and Roger Federer (2021).
“Quotable …”
“Honestly, I don’t know how I got over the line. “Credit to Nico. He did an unbelievable job staying with me, playing better than me in those tie-breaks – he deserved to win them.
“It’s my coach’s birthday today and I forgot to get him a present. I had to get him something, so I got him the win. That one’s for you, Facu.”
– Cameron Norrie of Great Britain, during his on-court interview Sunday after defeating Nicolas Jarry of Chile in five sets, talking about gifting his win to his coach Facundo Lugones.
