MIKE DICKSON: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Alex de Minaur 6-4 6-4 to win a thrilling final at Queen’s and will now be ranked as the top seed for the men’s singles at Wimbledon
- Carlos Alcaraz defeats Alex de Minaur in straight sets to win the final at Queen’s
- He will be ranked as the top seed for the men’s singles at Wimbledon next week
- Alcaraz became the youngest champion, 20, at Queen’s since Lleyton Hewitt
Carlos Alcaraz will be top seed for Wimbledon after regaining the world number one spot with victory in the Cinch Championships final over Australian Alex de Minaur.
It is still a stretch to see him beating Novak Djokovic over five sets at Wimbledon, but it cannot be ruled out after he claimed the traditional warm-up event at a sweltering Queen’s Club.
Alcaraz became the youngest champion here since Lleyton Hewitt after registering a 6-4 6-4 victory in an hour and 39 minutes with a break in each set. Arguably the two quickest athletes on the men’s tour played out an excellent match, and the Spaniard will be delighted with his progress on the grass this week.
Played out on another steaming hot day before a capacity crowd – the tournament announced a record 68,000 spectators for the week – the complication was a strong southerly wind that felt almost like a hairdryer.
If anything de Minaur had the better of the early exchanges, and after an athletic lob on the stretch created break point at 4-3. Alacaraz jogged on the spot before serving, and then pumped down a 137 mph ace to keep parity intact.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alex de Minaur 6-4 6-4 to win the Queen’s Club Championship on Sunday
The 20-year-old will now be ranked as the top seed for next week’s All England Championships at Wimbledon
Australian, De Minaur, had the better of the early exchanges, breaking Alcaraz at 4-3 in the first set, but the Spaniard fought back to claim the win
There was not much he could do about that, and paid the price in the next game when the Spaniard forced him onto the defensive with his penetrative forehands. The last of them, on break point, forced a forehand reply long, and Alcaraz served it out.
At the changeover he called an injury timeout for a rub on his right leg and the strapping of his thigh, the new movements on grass this week starting to nag.
The Australian’s problem was that he was basically playing a better version of himself and the pressure began to tell as it became clear that his opponent’s exceptional movement was unimpeded.
Alcaraz forced another break point at 2-2 and de Minaur gifted it through a double fault. The Spaniard was slightly hesitant when trying to serve out at 5-4 and missed a drop shot to go 0-30 behind, before reeling off the next four points.
Alcaraz said: ‘It means a lot to have my name on the trophy. I know this tournament since I started playing tennis. It’s been special for me to play here.
After the match, Alcaraz (left) said it ‘meant a lot to have his name on the trophy’
Alcaraz (pictured) became the youngest champion at the event since Lleyton Hewitt, with the Spaniard winning in one hour and 39 minutes
‘So many legends have won here and to see my name on the trophy, to see my name surrounded the great champions for me is amazing.
‘It helps a lot to come into Wimbledon as number one at such a great event as Wimbledon.
‘I started the tournament not really well – I had to adapt my movement a little bit on grass to get experience.
‘It’s been an amazing week and ending the week with a lot of energy, such a high quality so coming to Wimbledon like this is good. ‘
