Alcaraz Dominates at Queen's, Eyes Wimbledon Crown

Carlos Alcaraz solidified his position as a top contender for Wimbledon by defeating Jiri Lehecka in the Queen's Club final on Sunday. The top seed repeated his 2023 victory on the west London grass courts, securing the win with a score of 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-2.

This victory marked Alcaraz's 18th consecutive match win, his fifth consecutive final appearance, and followed his title wins in Rome and at the French Open. Lehecka, after defeating Jack Draper, became the first Czech finalist since Ivan Lendl's win in 1990.

Lehecka contributed to a high-quality final with strong serves and powerful groundstrokes, pushing the match to a deciding tiebreaker. However, Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon champion, did not concede a single break point and delivered 18 aces, earning his 21st career title and his second at Queen's.

Alcaraz's triumph came just two weeks after his hard-fought five-set win against Jannik Sinner at Roland-Garros. Despite the quick transition from clay to grass, and a holiday in Ibiza beforehand, the 22-year-old made the change appear effortless.

Alcaraz acknowledged the difficulty of the quick switch from clay to grass, given the limited practice time before the tournament. He entered the competition with modest expectations, aiming to play a few matches and assess his performance on grass. He expressed pride in his continuous improvement throughout the week, noting a significant evolution in his game since the first day.