By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday July 7, 2024
There have been eight males within the Open Period to win the title at Queen’s and Wimbledon in the identical yr – after John McEnroe (1981, 1984), Jimmy Connors (1982), Boris Becker (1985), Pete Sampras (1995, 1999), Lleyton Hewitt (2002), Rafael Nadal (2008), Andy Murray (2013, 2016) and Carlos Alcaraz (2023).
May Tommy Paul turn out to be the ninth?
The 27-year-old American, who defeated Lorenzo Musetti for the Queen’s Membership title two weeks in the past in London, is into the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the primary time after easing previous former semifinalist Roberto Bautista Agut on Sunday, 6-2 7-6(3) 6-2.
Paul’s job will get harder from right here, as he’s slated to face defending champion Carlos Alcaraz within the quarterfinals. Paul and Alcaraz have break up 4 earlier encounters, however this would be the pair’s first Grand Slam assembly.
Tommy Paul was feeling it right now 🔥#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/aK8KKyvixt
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2024
“It’s undoubtedly going to be a tricky match,” Paul mentioned. “He’s defending champ and he performs superb tennis on grass, however I really feel like I’m taking part in fairly good proper now, too.”
Paul ended Alcaraz’s 14-match successful streak final yr at Toronto when he defeated the Spaniard to succeed in his maiden Masters 1000 semifinal. He additionally defeated Alcaraz in three units in Montreal within the earlier yr (2022), saving a match level within the pair’s first assembly. Alcaraz has defeated Paul at Miami in 2023 (6-4, 6-4) and final yr at Cincinnati, 7-6(6), 6-7(0), 6-3, which is their most up-to-date assembly.
The Spaniard owns a 15-2 lifetime document at Wimbledon, having gained his final 11 matches courting again to the beginning of his title run final yr.
