Despite having to work through major momentum swings, losses of concentration and the challenge of facing one of the most devastating servers on the planet, Carlos Alcaraz departed Centre Court on Saturday knowing that when he needed to summon his best in the decisive moments, each time it was right there.
The world No 1 now returns to the fourth round for the second consecutive year at his third Wimbledon after defeating Nicolás Jarry of Chile 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5.
“It has been really, really tough,” said Alcaraz. “Nico is a great player. He’s looking really well, playing really well. We’ve played in Rio, it was a really tough match, here as well. He deserves to be at the top, so I’m really happy to play at this level. I think both of us received a special energy.”
From the moment he was drawn in the top seed’s section, Jarry was always likely to present a first true test for Alcaraz. Towering over most opponents at 1.98m (6ft 5in), Jarry is one of the best servers in the game but he is not only a so-called servebot; he backs it up with a huge forehand that can devastate defences.
Alcaraz had already felt the force of those weapons this year. As the Spaniard returned from injury and Jarry began his rise up the rankings in February, the pair played a brutal match in the dead of night in the semi-finals of the Rio Open, with Alcaraz winning 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-0 after two great sets from his challenger.
Alcaraz’s other recent encounters with big servers, particularly against Jan-Lennard Struff in the Madrid Open final, indicated he is not always able to find an effective return strategy against the very heaviest.
Jarry entered his first Wimbledon third round enjoying the best tennis of his career. Now ranked No 28, he had been as high as 39th in 2018 before receiving a doping ban for Ligandrol and Stanozolol, with the anti-doping tribunal ruling he bore no significant fault or negligence. Since the start of this season, he has risen rapidly having started ranked No 154.
Jarry betrayed his inexperience immediately. As the pair stepped on to Centre Court, he walked in the wrong direction, away from the chairs, prompting laughter from both players. But he was ready. The 27-year-old settled immediately, swinging freely, serving spotlessly and demolishing forehands.
Alcaraz matched the bar that was set. He served effectively and countered Jarry’s firepower with his own devastating forehand, but the 20-year-old also showed where his game is evolving. Having started the grass season still uncertain of his balance, he moved and defended incredibly well, and he continues to adapt his game to the surface.
Alcaraz used backhand slice regularly and effectively on the low-bouncing grass, consistently forcing Jarry into awkward positions and drawing errors.
Despite losing the first service game at 4-4 in the first set due to his inability to deal with such slices, Jarry was unmoved. He continued to attack, blazing forehands and returning well. First, he forced a break point as the Spaniard served out the first set, then Jarry opened up the second set demolishing the ball with even greater force. Early on in the second frame, as winners rained down, Jarry’s forehand was averaging an incredible 85mph. A whole 10mph faster than Alcaraz’s own, one of the most potent shots in the game.
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Jarry sealed his first break of the match using this weapon, demolishing a winning forehand return from a 129mph first serve. During the spectacular purple patch that followed, his crushing serves and ball striking forced a 3-0 lead. Alcaraz’s defence and the effectiveness of his slice brought him back into the match, and the pair converged at a tie-break.
While Alcaraz failed to take his one clear opportunity at 4-4, pouncing on his opponent’s second serve before shanking a forehand, the tiebreak was otherwise defined by Jarry’s serve. He made six of his seven first serves, including two brilliant bombs while trailing 5-6, and he knocked the racket from Alcaraz’s hands with the sheer brute force of his arsenal.
The effort it took for Jarry to level the match immediately showed in the third set as his forehand began to misfire, the shot deteriorating quickly as he continually missed first serves. While Alcaraz drew errors from Jarry with his defence and slice, it seemed he was on his way to victory as he cruised to take the set 6-3.
Instead, Alcaraz opened the fourth with a dire service game that included three wild errors. Jarry’s 3-0 lead soon became 4-1, with a potential fifth set approaching.
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But Alcaraz showed he is ready to rise for the biggest moments this year. From 4-1 down, he escaped with six of the final seven games to advance.