Tennis-Alcaraz sharpened grass game after Queen's defeat
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 29, 2024 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during a practice session REUTERS/Matthew Childs
LONDON (Reuters) - Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz said he has shaken off an early defeat at Queen's Club and is ready to start the defence of his Wimbledon title on Monday.
The French Open champion was beaten by Britain's Jack Draper in the traditional London warm-up event but says he has spent the intervening days sharpening his grass game.
"I'm feeling great. Honestly, after Queen's, I had a lot of days to adapt my game, to practice, to get better," the Spanish third seed told reporters on Saturday.
"I remember after losing in Queen's, the next day I started practising my movement, my shots, just to be more comfortable moving on grass, playing on grass this year.
"I had a great practices with great players just to see my level. Right now I'm ready to start the tournament."
Alcaraz is seeking to win his fourth Grand Slam having only recently turned 21 and could join an elite group of players to have achieved the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double in a year.
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 29, 2024 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during a practice session REUTERS/Matthew Childs
Only Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic have managed that in the professional era.
"Winning Grand Slams is difficult. Obviously changing from clay to a grass court, totally different surfaces, totally different game of play," Alcaraz said.
"Let's say I'm going to try. Obviously, I want to put my name on that short list to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year. I know that there's going to be a really difficult and big challenge for me, but I think I'm ready to do it.
"I'm doing a great work these last weeks just to get ready, just to feel comfortable to play Wimbledon here in my 100%."
Alcaraz will kick off Centre Court action on Monday against fellow 21-year-old Mark Lajal, the Estonian world number 262.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)