Carlos Alcaraz held his nerve once again on Sunday to beat Andrey Rublev in four sets and book his place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals, keeping alive his bid for a third consecutive title at SW19.
The 22-year-old Spaniard, seeded second, lost the opening set in a tie-break under the Centre Court roof but gradually found his rhythm, eventually sealing a 6–7 (5/7), 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 victory in front of a raucous crowd.
Carlos Alcaraz advances to the quarter-finals for the third year in a row 🫡
He defeats Andrey Rublev 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/O3llbLwy7d
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2025
Alcaraz, who now faces Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the last eight, admitted the Russian 14th seed had pushed him hard.
“I think I played intelligent and smart today, tactically,” he said. “It was a really good match, and I’m proud of how I handled it.”
Despite a stuttering start, Alcaraz once again showcased his mental resilience—an attribute that has defined his rise to the top of men’s tennis. “Tennis can turn on a single point,” he said. “You have to stay strong mentally and keep believing.”
Rublev edged the first set in a tight tie-break but lost momentum as Alcaraz broke late in the second to level the match. In the third, the Russian kept pace but faltered at key moments. Alcaraz seized his chance with a stunning forehand and a deft drop shot to take control.
By the fourth set, the writing was on the wall. A break in the fifth game gave Alcaraz the advantage, and he held firm to close out the match.
The defending champion has not had a smooth journey through the draw. He was taken to five sets by veteran Fabio Fognini in the first round and dropped a set against Jan-Lennard Struff in the third. However, his fighting spirit has remained unshaken.
In contrast, world number one Jannik Sinner has eased through without dropping a set, while Novak Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, looks increasingly dangerous after dispatching compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic in straight sets.
Alcaraz and Sinner have emerged as the dominant figures in men’s tennis, sharing the last six Grand Slam titles between them. But on grass, Alcaraz holds the edge—he has now won 33 of his 36 Tour-level matches on the surface.
Since losing to Sinner in the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2022, Alcaraz has gone on a career-best 22-match winning streak. With back-to-back final victories over Djokovic in 2023 and 2024, the Spaniard is now aiming to join an elite group of players.
Should he go all the way again this year, Alcaraz would become only the fifth man in the Open era to win three straight Wimbledon titles, joining Björn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic.
Let me know if you’d like a [shorter version](f), [stat-based profile](f), or a [comparison feature with Sinner and Djokovic](f).
