"Alcaraz defeats Rublev as Khachanov and Fritz advance to Wimbledon quarterfinals"

Every point in tennis carries equal weight, yet some hold greater significance than others. On Sunday, at 3-3 in the third set after an intense exchange of powerful shots, Carlos Alcaraz earned a break point to take the lead for the first time in the match. He then delivered a stunning display of agility and precision, racing across the court and firing an unreturnable forehand past an advancing Andrey Rublev.

Until then, the Russian had performed brilliantly, challenging Alcaraz with strong serves and consistent groundstrokes while maintaining composure—an aspect of his game that has often wavered. But Alcaraz, like all elite champions, possesses a remarkable ability to elevate his performance when necessary. From that pivotal moment, he surged ahead to secure a 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory, extending his winning streak to 22 matches and setting up a meeting with Britain’s Cameron Norrie.

Alcaraz struck 22 aces and executed 15 serve-and-volley attempts, winning 13 of them, as he advanced to the quarterfinals for the ninth time in his last 10 major tournaments. He has now won 18 consecutive matches at this event and remains the strong favorite to claim the title for a third consecutive year.

“Andrey is among the most powerful players on tour,” Alcaraz said of Rublev. “Every shot feels like it’s pushing you to the limit. I’m pleased with how I moved today—I thought I played intelligently, tactically, and that’s something I take pride in.”

Meanwhile, Taylor Fritz might be feeling fortune favors him at this year’s tournament. After narrowly surviving a first-round scare against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard—trailing two sets to one and 5-1 in the fourth-set tiebreak—the American had an easier path to the quarterfinals when his opponent, Jordan Thompson, withdrew due to a hamstring injury.

The fifth seed was leading 6-1, 3-0 when Thompson stopped the match. The Australian had been struggling with a lower back issue throughout the competition and suffered a right hamstring strain early in play. Hindered in his movement, particularly side to side, he took a medical timeout at 2-0 down in the second set but chose to retire after one more game.

The entire match, including the timeout, lasted just 41 minutes—a break Fritz will surely appreciate as he prepares to face Russia’s Karen Khachanov, who defeated Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Khachanov holds a 2-0 record against Fritz, though their last meeting was five years ago.

“We have similar playing styles overall,” Fritz said. “We train together often, so we know each other’s games well. But I’ve improved dramatically since we last competed.”