Staff Reporter.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz fired a Wimbledon warning as he comfortably beat Alex de Minaur 6-4 6-4 to claim the Queen’s Club title on Sunday and return to world No 1.
In baking temperatures, the 20-year-old had too much firepower for his wily Australian opponent as he claimed his first grasscourt title in impressive fashion.
Alcaraz said: “It means a lot to have my name on the trophy. It was special to play here where so many legends have won. To see my name surrounded by the great champions is amazing.
“I started the tournament not very well, especially my movement on the grass, but it’s been an amazing week.”
“The chances don’t change so much. I mean, Novak is coming to Wimbledon,” Alcaraz said. “Right now I’m feeling better than the beginning of the week, that’s obvious.
“Of course, recovering the number one before Wimbledon, it gives you extra motivation, it gives you extra confidence coming into Wimbledon. But it doesn’t change too much if I play Wimbledon as the number two or the number one.”
It was only Alcaraz’s third tournament on grass, but the way he marched through the draw augurs well for his prospects at Wimbledon where he will be seeded No 1.
De Minaur, the first Australian to reach the London final since Lleyton Hewitt in 2006, had chances for a break of serve when leading 4-3 in the opening set but could not take them.
Alcaraz then broke serve in the following game before wrapping up the set on serve.
De Minaur double-faulted to hand over a service game early in the second set and there was no way the muscular Spaniard was going to pass up the opportunity to claim the title.
Meanwhile Alexander Bublik battled his way past third seed Andrey Rublev 6-3 3-6 6-3 thanks to two service breaks to win the Halle Open title.
It was also the 26-year-old’s second tour title after his win in Montpellier in 2022.
Elsewhere two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova beat Donna Vekic of Croatia 6-2 7-6(6) on Sunday to lift the German Open title and confirm her form on grass just over a week before the Grand Slam in London.