London [UK], June 29 : Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz said that the idea of completing a hat-trick of this prestigious Grand Slam is not on his mind, and he just wants to lift the trophy on grassy surfaces where "the most beautiful tennis" is played.
Alcaraz will kickstart his Wimbledon campaign against 38-year-old Fabio Fognini in round one from Monday.
The stars are aligned for Alcaraz, as far as past form is concerned. Not only has he won the tournament back-to-back, but is also on a career-best 18-match win streak, with title wins coming in during the Italian Open, French Open and most recently, the Queens Club Championships.
A massive milestone is up for grabs for this legend in the making. If he completes a hat-trick of Wimbledon titles, he will join legendary Bjorn Borg as the only men in the Open Era to complete a double of French Open-Wimbledon in consecutive years, as per ATP's official website.
Bjorg set a record that several future legends have attempted to emulate, but failed. Between 1978 and 1980, he captured the French Open and Wimbledon titles in a calendar year three times in a row.
Speaking ahead of his tournament opener as quoted by Wimbledon's official website, Alcaraz said, "I am coming here thinking that I really want to win the title. I really want to lift the trophy. I am not thinking about how many players have won three Wimbledons in a row."
The 22-year-old is extremely excited to bring his fast-paced style to London's grassy surfaces, saying that he wants to hit the "slices" and "drop shots".
"I think the most beautiful tennis that we can watch is on grass. The style that the people bring to the court when they play on grass, I think it is so beautiful. The sound of the ball. The movement is really tough, but when you get it, it is kind of like you are flying," he said.
"I really want to hit slices, drop shots, going to the net all the time, playing aggressively. I think on grass, it is the style that you have to play. So that is what I like the most," he added.
The 22-year-old will be aiming to win his fifth successive title on natural surfaces, after victories at Wimbledon in 2023, 2024, the French Open in 2024 and 2025. This would also be his sixth Grand Slam title.
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