London, UK – Carlos Alcaraz battled his way into the Wimbledon last-16 on Friday, overcoming a spirited challenge from Jan-Lennard Struff. His victory came on a day marked by a significant “exodus” of top seeds across both the men’s and women’s draws, highlighting the unpredictable nature of this year’s tournament. While Alcaraz secured his spot, women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka also had to dig deep to defeat Emma Raducanu in a high-class encounter.
Top Seeds Fall as Alcaraz Navigates Tricky Path
It’s only Day 5 of Wimbledon, but the tournament has already seen a mass departure of favorites. Only four of the top 10 women’s seeds remain, with half of the men’s top 10 also ousted. This wave of upsets notably included Australian Open champion and sixth seed Madison Keys.
Men’s second seed Carlos Alcaraz eventually managed to overcome German world number 125 Jan-Lennard Struff with a score of 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Despite the straight-sets win, the match was far from straightforward. Alcaraz, aiming for a third consecutive Wimbledon crown, acknowledged the challenge, stating, “I knew it was going to be really difficult. I had to be really focused. His game suits the grass with the big serves.”
Alcaraz’s Inconsistent Performance and Path Forward
Alcaraz’s performance on Centre Court, witnessed by notable figures like former England captain Gary Lineker and former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, was marked by inconsistency, including 28 unforced errors. This follows earlier struggles where he was pushed to five sets by 38-year-old Fabio Fognini in the first round and appeared below his best against British amateur Oliver Tarvet.
Despite these wobbles, Alcaraz managed to conjure enough moments of magic to subdue Struff and book his place in the fourth round. However, if he hopes to become only the fifth man in the Open era to achieve three consecutive Wimbledon titles, he will need to significantly cut down on his errors. His next challenge in the fourth round will be against Russia’s Andrey Rublev.
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