Alcaraz and Fritz will face off at 7:30 PM Hanoi time today, 11/7.

In their two previous encounters, Alcaraz emerged victorious without dropping a set. Both matches were played on hard courts at the Miami Open and the Laver Cup. More broadly, Fritz has only won once in 17 matches against the trio of Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz retrieves a shot in the fourth round of Wimbledon on Centre Court at the All England Club, London, England on 6/7. Photo: Reuters

Alcaraz retrieves a shot in the fourth round of Wimbledon on Centre Court at the All England Club, London, England on 6/7. Photo: Reuters

Statistics indicate a significant challenge for Fritz, as Alcaraz has won Wimbledon the past two years. This year, Carlitos has improved with each round, most recently with a convincing three-set victory over Cameron Norrie.

At 22, the Spanish star has reached eight Grand Slam semifinals, a level of consistency rarely seen in the history of the sport. Before Alcaraz, only five other players achieved this by the same age, a list that doesn't include names like Roger Federer or Djokovic.

Alcaraz is currently on a 23-match winning streak. The world number two still has a long way to go to match Djokovic's record of 43 consecutive wins, but he is catching up to the impressive 26-match streak Sinner achieved in the past two years.

At Wimbledon, Alcaraz has won his last 19 matches. This statistic surprises many, as grass is considered his weakest surface. However, he has adapted well and is demonstrating increasing dominance. Many experts believe Alcaraz brings an even greater explosiveness than Federer, widely considered the greatest grass-court player of all time.

Federer's first Wimbledon title came in his fifth appearance at the tournament. Alcaraz is also in his fifth grass-court Grand Slam season, having already won twice and being considered the top contender this year. Since the start of his career, Alcaraz has won 34 matches on grass, lost three, and claimed four titles. In his last 31 grass-court matches, he has only lost once.

Alcaraz is serving well, with 34 aces in his last two matches. Photo: Sky

Alcaraz is serving well, with 34 aces in his last two matches. Photo: Sky

Alcaraz has also surpassed the "Big 3" legends in wins in his first 18 Grand Slams, with 76 victories, trailing only Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe in history.

Nadal is the closest "Big 3" player on the list, with 75 wins. McEnroe leads with 81, and Borg has 78. Alcaraz has a chance to catch Borg if he defends his Wimbledon title this year.

Alcaraz also has the opportunity to become the first player since Borg in 1980 to win both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in consecutive seasons, a difficult feat due to the significant differences between the two tournaments. Only six male players have achieved the "Channel Slam" by winning both events in a single season.

Borg was the most successful in his first 18 majors, winning six titles: three Roland Garros and three Wimbledon. Alcaraz will equal this record if he wins Wimbledon this week. The Spaniard's achievements are even more impressive considering his US Open hard-court title, something Borg never accomplished.

McEnroe and Nadal each have five majors after their first 18 Grand Slams. Nadal won four Roland Garros titles and one Wimbledon, but no hard-court majors. Djokovic and Federer lag behind Alcaraz at this stage of their careers, with only one Grand Slam each: Djokovic won the 2008 Australian Open, and Federer won Wimbledon in 2003.

Alcaraz believes he has played well at Wimbledon over the past two weeks but anticipates a tough challenge against "serving machine" Taylor Fritz today. "He is very strong on grass," Alcaraz said of his American opponent. "I will have to match his serves, improve my return game, and hold my serve well."

Fritz hits a forehand in his victory over Khachanov in the 2025 Wimbledon quarterfinals. Photo: ATP

Fritz hits a forehand in his victory over Khachanov in the 2025 Wimbledon quarterfinals. Photo: ATP

Fritz, with five grass-court titles among his 10 career titles, is also confident he can challenge the second seed. He said, "Luckily, I'm facing Alcaraz on grass, not clay. I believe my level is equal to his on this surface. This is the surface I feel most confident on, even against a strong opponent like Alcaraz."

Fritz's only loss to Alcaraz on the ATP Tour came at the 2023 Miami Open. However, he defeated Alcaraz at the Laver Cup the following year. Fritz faces a formidable opponent, but an upset is not out of the question. Although his performance has been inconsistent and sometimes disappointing this year, Fritz's play over the past 20 months demonstrates he belongs among the top players, just below Sinner, Alcaraz, and Djokovic.

Vy Anh