London: Young Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz, who will defend his Wimbledon title from June 30 onwards at the All England Club, is on the verge of a huge achievement.
If the world number two wins the Wimbledon title for the third consecutive year and makes it a hat trick of victories, he will join legendary Bjorn Borg as the only men in the Open Era to complete the French Open-Wimbledon double in consecutive years, according to the ATP's official website.
Borg established a high standard for future superstars between 1978 and 1980, when he won the French Open and Wimbledon titles in a calendar year three times in a row, a accomplishment that has not been matched since.
Alcaraz comes on the eve of the season's third Grand Slam with a career-best 18-match winning streak, having won titles in Rome and Paris, defeating world number one Jannik Sinner in both title clashes, the latter being a five-hour epic in which Alcaraz came from behind to secure a thrilling victory.
The 22-year-old will be looking to win his fifth consecutive title on natural surfaces, following wins at Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024 and the French Open in 2024 and 2025. This would also be his sixth Grand Slam title.
Even for the sport's biggest names, the switch from Paris' tough clay to grass surfaces has not been simple. In the Open Era, Alcaraz is one of six men to win both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year, joining Rod Laver (1969), Borg (1978, 1979, 1980), Rafael Nadal (2008, 2010), Roger Federer (2009), and Novak Djokovic (2021).
Only Borg has been able to obtain a double in consecutive years. Only one women's player has ever won the double in consecutive years during the Open Era: Stefanie Graf, who did so in 1995 and 1996.
Alcaraz arrives in London after winning his second Queens Club Championships title, making him a strong contender for a hat trick. The two-time Wimbledon champion has a remarkable tournament record of 18 wins and 2 defeats.
