Carlos Alcaraz won’t be in any mood to send in the clowns after lining up a blockbuster reunion with Frances Tiafoe.
The defending Wimbledon champion outgunned Aussie Aleksandar Vukic on Court No.1 to set up a repeat of his US Open semi-final thriller against Tiafoe last September and warned: “I’m going for him!”
The American has slipped down the rankings since that five-set marathon at Flushing Meadow and admitted he has been “losing to clowns” during a rollercoaster 2024.
Good news, Frances: Alcaraz won’t be turning up in a red nose, curly wig, baggy trousers and jumbo shoes in the third round among the strawberry fields of SW19.
The No.3 seed edged a tight tie-break before powering past Vukic 7-6, 6-2, 6-2 and he didn’t float many gifts over the net like dragonflies with damaged wings where ramming winners from the baseline was an option.
Alcaraz is the new darling of Wimbledon crowds after his 4hr 42min epic denied Novak Djokovic a fifth consecutive title in the final 12 months ago and, at 21, he has already completed the surface Grand Slam by winning majors on grass, clay and hard court.
He said: “Frances is a great player, a great person, always smiling, always seems like he’s enjoying his time on the court.
“It’s going to be a really fun match to watch. I’ll try to bring out my good weapons and I’m going for him!
“We played a really good match in the US Open and I know he is a really talented player, a tough one, even tougher on grass with his style – good volley, good slices.
“But I’m ready to take on that challenge, put on a show, play a really high level of tennis and hopefully take him.”
Alcaraz revealed he has been spending less time fiddling with his mobile phone and turning in for more early nights to help deal with the burden of being a champion.
He admitted: “I’ve been changing a little bit off the court, going to bed early, eating well, staying focused 24 hours on tennis, in everything I can do better to perform better.
“I try to use less the phone, but it has been difficult for me! I’m dealing with those things, trying to respect the hours of sleep.
“Hopefully if I keep winning, I’m going to find the same level as last year. I’m going to say I reached the top of the top in the final.
“Already I’m feeling that I’m playing great tennis again. If you can stay positive, you can stay calm in the toughest situations.”
Tiafoe, who has only won back-to-back matches at two of the 15 tournaments he has entered this season, knows he faces an uphill task to make it three-in-a-row here.
He beat Croatia’s Bora Coric in straight sets, but admitted his 2024 has been “brutal” with too many highs and lows.
Tiafoe said: “Think about where I’m at – literally this week last year I was No.10 in the world and now I’m barely seeded here (at Wimbledon). (I’ve been) losing to clowns. I hate to say it but I’ve just gotta be honest.
”I took the game for granted and got a little too comfortable. You stop having fun with it and you find yourself in a weird position. Then you kind of forget what you were doing to win.
“You start doubting yourself and all these kinds of things, but nothing is peaches and cream all the time.
“It’s about how fast you can kind of get out of that. And there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
“If you continue to feel sorry for yourself and play victim, that’s where it just gets darker and darker and darker.”
Leave a Reply