Eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi delivered glowing praise for Carlos Alcaraz during the Spaniard’s hard-fought semi-final victory over Taylor Fritz, comparing the defending champion’s game to tennis legends Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Alcaraz overcame a spirited challenge from American fifth seed Fritz to win 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(6) on Centre Court, booking his place in a third consecutive Wimbledon final and extending his winning streak at the All England Club to 19 matches.
The two-time defending champion will face world number one Jannik Sinner in Sunday’s final, setting up a repeat of their epic French Open championship match from last month.
Agassi’s Ultimate Compliment
Working as a BBC commentator for the match, Agassi was particularly impressed by Alcaraz’s drop shot execution on grass courts. The drop shot on grass, with the heaviness and weight, and the ball just dying off the bounce – it is an effective shot to play as an attempt at an aggressive shot,” the American legend observed.
In what may be the ultimate compliment for any modern player, Agassi suggested Alcaraz combines the best attributes of the sport’s three greatest champions. “Alcaraz does it with an incredible feel. It’s like he has the touch of Federer, the defence of Novak and the RPM of Nadal combined in one person,” he said.
The 1992 Wimbledon champion added with characteristic insight: “No wonder he can play a little erratic from time to time. He doesn’t know what the hell he wants to do sometimes.”
When Alcaraz later executed a perfectly disguised drop shot before slicing the ball to wrong-foot Fritz, Agassi compared him directly to eight-time Wimbledon winner Federer. “That was a little Federer,” Agassi remarked. Federer had that play quite often, where he looked like he would drop, and then he’d play that nice little slice like he had all the time in the world. That was beautiful.”
Fritz’s Valiant Effort Falls Short
The 27-year-old Fritz, playing in his first Wimbledon semi-final, produced arguably the best performance of his career but ultimately couldn’t prevent Alcaraz from reaching his sixth Grand Slam final at just 22 years of age.
The American won 80 per cent of his first-serve points and frequently overpowered Alcaraz with his delivery. He broke the Spaniard’s serve to take the second set 7-5, marking the first set Alcaraz had dropped in their three meetings.
Fritz appeared poised to force a deciding fifth set when he led 6-4 in the fourth-set tiebreak, holding two set points. However, displaying the championship mentality that has already brought him five Grand Slam titles, Alcaraz elevated his level when it mattered most.
The Spaniard saved both set points with fearless shot-making before converting his first match point with a perfectly placed forehand that forced an error from Fritz.
“It was a really difficult match as always when I have to play against Taylor. Even tougher with the conditions, it was really hot today,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “I’m just really happy with everything that I’ve done today. I dealt with the nerves, playing here in a semi-final is not easy. I’m really proud with the way I stayed calm and thought clearly.”
Historic Achievement Within Reach
Currently on a career-best 24-match winning streak, Alcaraz is bidding to join Bjorn Borg as the only men in the Open Era to complete the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double in consecutive years. Borg achieved the feat from 1978 to 1980.
The victory improved Alcaraz’s season record to an impressive 48-5, with Tour-leading five titles already secured in 2025 – Roland Garros, Rome, Monte-Carlo, Rotterdam, and Queen’s Club.
Despite not being able to overtake Sinner for the world number one ranking after Wimbledon, Alcaraz has opened up a significant 2,660-point lead atop the ATP Race to Turin, which determines the year-end number one.
Kyrgios Tips Alcaraz-Sinner Dominance
In an exclusive interview with TNT Sports during Wimbledon, controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios offered high praise for both Alcaraz and Sinner, predicting they would dominate tennis for the next decade.
I think Alcaraz and Sinner will be carrying this sport for the next 10-15 years,” Kyrgios stated. “These guys are incredible talents. They’re generational talents and athletes. The sport of tennis is in for a ride with these two competing for Grand Slams.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist specifically referenced their French Open final last month, which Alcaraz won in five hours and 29 minutes after saving three championship points. We saw that at the French Open, it was one of the highest-quality finals that the sport has ever seen, so we all just need to enjoy the ride,” Kyrgios added.
His comments came despite recent controversial remarks about Alcaraz’s off-court activities, which the Spaniard dismissed as “funny comments, which coming from him doesn’t surprise me.
American Drought Continues
Fritz’s defeat means the wait for an American man to reach a Wimbledon final extends to 16 years, with Andy Roddick’s 2009 appearance remaining the last time the Stars and Stripes featured in the championship match.
The world number five had battled through two five-set matches en route to his second Grand Slam semi-final but found Alcaraz’s all-court brilliance too much to overcome. “The Spaniard dictated play from the baseline, mixed in deft drop shots, and used his heavy second serve to keep Fritz off balance throughout,” according to the ATP Tour’s match report.
Celebrity Crowd Witnesses Excellence
The high-profile semi-final attracted a star-studded audience to Centre Court, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Rami Malek, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Ford and Anna Wintour among those watching Alcaraz’s masterclass.
The scorching London heat, with temperatures reaching 32°C (90°F), added an extra layer of difficulty to the contest. Play was suspended twice due to spectator incidents in the stands related to the extreme conditions.
Sunday’s Showdown
Alcaraz will now face a familiar foe in Sinner, holding an 8-4 head-to-head advantage over the Italian. Their rivalry has already produced several classics, including last month’s marathon French Open final where Alcaraz prevailed after saving three match points.
“Right now, I don’t want to think about Sunday. I just want to enjoy this moment and that I’ve got to a third final in a row. I will have time to think about Sunday,” Alcaraz said, maintaining his focus on the present.
For Sinner, who demolished an injury-hampered Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in Friday’s second semi-final, it represents a maiden Wimbledon final appearance and another opportunity to add to his Australian Open title from earlier this year.
As tennis transitions to a new generation of stars, Agassi’s assessment of Alcaraz possessing the combined qualities of Federer, Djokovic and Nadal suggests the sport remains in capable hands. Sunday’s final between the world’s top two players promises to deliver another chapter in what is becoming one of tennis’s most compelling rivalries.
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Image Credit:
Andre Agassi (2011) – Photo by Tatiana from Moscow, Russia, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
