Carlos Alcaraz joins Rafael Nadal, Mats Wilander on exclusive list after win over Tiafoe at Wimbledon 2024

Carlos Alcaraz’s only five-setter loss came against Matteo Berrettini in the third round of 2022 Australian Open.

Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has equaled Mats Wilander’s record of most wins in 13 initial five-set matches.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz defeated American tennis star Frances Tiafoe in a five-set marathon on Friday in the third round of Wimbledon 2024. With the win, Carlos Alcaraz has won 12 out of the 13 five-set matches he has played in his professional career.

The 21-year-old has equaled Swedish tennis legend Mats Wilander’s record of 12 wins after 13 matches played in five sets in the Grand Slam in the Open Era. After Wilander and Alcaraz, Bjorn Borg, Harold Solomon, Rafael Nadal, Pete Sampras and Johan Kriek have recorded the most wins in their initial 13 five-set matches, 11.

Last month, Alcaraz became the youngest male tennis player to complete a surface slam by winning the 2024 French Open. He broke compatriot Rafael Nadal’s record to reach the feat. However, the Spaniard can make a series of new records if he manages to win the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.

He can become only the second player after Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer to defend the Wimbledon title in the 21st century. In addition to that, he can also become only the second Spanish player to win two Wimbledon titles, apart from Rafael Nadal (2008 and 2010).

ALSO READ: Five milestones Carlos Alcaraz can reach at Wimbledon 2024

Alcaraz can also become only the third youngest player in tennis history to win Wimbledon twice after Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg. The 21-year-old is also on track to become the sixth player to complete a channel slam.

Winning the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships back-to-back is known as a Channel Slam. The milestone is difficult to attain because players have limited time to switch between different surfaces, namely, clay and grass. Only five male tennis players, Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic have reached the feat in the open era.

Moreover, he can become the third youngest player in tennis history to win four Grand Slam titles. Mats Wilander and Bjorn Borg are two tennis stars, who have completed the feat before turning 21.

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