logo
Carlos Alcaraz had ‘no expectations' ahead of tennis grass season

Carlos Alcaraz had ‘no expectations' ahead of tennis grass season

Glasgow Times4 hours ago

The Spanish top seed regained his crown as the King of Queen's Club and replicated his debut triumph of two years ago with a 7-5 6-7 (5) 6-2 victory.
Alcaraz lifted the trophy just a fortnight after his epic five-set victory over Jannik Sinner in the final of the French Open.
The 22-year-old made the tight turnaround from clay to grass look simple, even though he took time out for a holiday in Ibiza before heading to London.
'It's really complicated, the switch from clay to grass in just few days, because that's the time I had before the tournament began,' he said.
'Just two days of practising and then I had to compete here. So I came here with no expectations at all.
'I just came here with a goal to play two, three matches, try to feel great on grass moving, and, you know, give myself the feedback of what I have to improve, what I have to do better.
'So what I'm more proud about this week is th e way that I have been improving every day. You know, since the first day until today, I think I'm a different player on grass. I just got used to it really quick.'
Jiri Lehecka was the first Czech finalist in 35 years (Adam Davy/PA)
It was an 18th-straight match win for Alcaraz – in his fifth consecutive final – following his title successes in Rome and Roland Garros.
World number 30 Lehecka had knocked out home hope Jack Draper on Saturday to become the first Czech finalist since Ivan Lendl won the title in 1990.
The 23-year-old played his part in a high-quality final with some huge serves and powerful groundstrokes, forcing the match to a decider via a tie-break.
But Alcaraz did not face a single break point and slammed down 18 aces on his way to a 21st career title, proving he will be the man to beat at SW19 again with a stylish win in two hours and eight minutes.
Alcaraz celebrated with the ballkids (Adam Davy/PA)
There will be no trip to the party island to celebrate this one, though.
'I wish,' he smiled. 'I'm a player who needs days off, days to enjoy, days for myself to spend with my friends, with my family, just to turn off my mind. I need that, and the good thing is that I know that.
'The days in Ibiza helped me a lot, just to feel like I'm not a tennis player, just to enjoy life a little bit with my friends, have fun, enjoy those days, and then come back to the court with more energy, I mean, be more hungry to play again.
'So that was really helpful for me. I'm not going to say that I won the tournament because of Ibiza, but, after this tournament, I can't go back home. I'm going to stay here in London, hopefully enjoy London a little bit.
'I'm going to have my days off to rest up, to enjoy, and then be back and preparing Wimbledon the best way possible.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ex-Man Utd boss Rangnick launches fresh attack on Old Trafford 'decision makers'
Ex-Man Utd boss Rangnick launches fresh attack on Old Trafford 'decision makers'

Daily Mirror

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mirror

Ex-Man Utd boss Rangnick launches fresh attack on Old Trafford 'decision makers'

Ralf Rangnick has continued to criticise former employers Manchester United, three years after he left the Red Devils following a disappointing six-month spell as interim manager Ralf Rangnick has diagnosed former club Manchester United with a 'leadership problem' which has blighted them for the 12 years post-Sir Alex Ferguson. Rangnick, who's now in charge of the Austrian national team, spent six months as manager at Old Trafford in the 2021-22 season, arguably their most underwhelming Premier League campaign to date. With Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line, Paul Pogba in midfield and Raphael Varane at the back, big things were expected after a second-place finish the previous term. But neither Rangnick or his predecessor, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, were able to find a winning formula, as the Red Devils slumped to sixth. ‌ The plan was for Rangnick, 66, to become a consultant following the end of his six-month spell as interim boss. But when Erik ten Hag was appointed in April 2022, United abruptly cut ties with the acclaimed German coach, who's renowned as one of the great minds of the modern game. ‌ Rangnick had been openly critical of the regime at Old Trafford, infamously insisting that the squad needed 'open heart surgery' during one of his many sobering press conferences. In the three years since his departure, the former Schalke, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig manager - nicknamed the 'Godfather of the Gegenpress' - has continued to point of United's flaws. Despite the club's hierarchy undergoing a seismic change over the last 18 months, prompted by Sir Jim Ratcliffe's partial takeover, Rangnick still believes that the Red Devils lack a proper leadership structure. It's an issue which he believes stems from the moment Ferguson retired after 26 highly successful years. "I think we have to go back to 2013, when Sir Alex left the club," Rangnick told Spanish outlet Sport. "And at the time he was still there, he was the mastermind behind it all. He probably also brought a lot of important people to the club. "And the moment he left, some of those people probably left the club as well. And, since then, I think they have a leadership problem. Who's really making the decisions and why are they making them? Are they really the best people for the job? I can only tell you that the six months I was there, it was difficult to say, even for me as head coach. "Who were the decision makers? Who? Who could I talk to? If we wanted to sign new players, it was difficult. There were people, but in the end, it was difficult." Should Manchester United have kept Ralf Rangnick? Have your say in the comments section. ‌ So, what advice would Rangnick give United's current regime led by new CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Jason Wilcox and Ratcliffe's INEOS bigwigs? "If I were the owner or sporting director of a club, I would only try to sign and invest in young players. Because no matter how you look at it, it only makes sense," the Austria boss explained. "Does it make sense to spend 30, 40, 50 million on a 28 or 30-year-old signing? Not really. Let's calculate it: You sign a 28 or 30-year-old with a five-year contract; you spend 50 million more on the transfer fee; an average of 15 million euros per year multiplied by five. "That's 65 million plus the 50 million transfer fee, equals 115 million plus the agents' fees. The whole operation costs you around 130 million." Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Atletico Madrid reject chance to sign Arsenal star in summer transfer window
Atletico Madrid reject chance to sign Arsenal star in summer transfer window

Metro

time2 hours ago

  • Metro

Atletico Madrid reject chance to sign Arsenal star in summer transfer window

Atletico Madrid have turned down the chance to sign Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey as a free agent this summer, according to reports. Partey's contract is due to expire this month on June 30 with the player believed to be seeking a fresh challenge once he leaves the Emirates. It's thought Arsenal had been hopeful of negotiating a renewal before talks broke down with the 31-year-old, who has been at the club since 2020. While Arsenal are already eyeing up a replacement, it remains to be seen which team Ghanaian star Partey may join in the summer transfer window. It appears that one side have been already been ruled out – Partey's former club Atletico – who he left to join the Gunners five years ago. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. That's according to Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo, who report Atletico have rejected the idea of ​​bringing Partey back into Diego Simeone's squad. It's believed that Atletico are instead keen to wrap up a deal for Real Betis star Johnny Cardoso, worth around €40m (£34.2m). Partey recently revealed that he had agreed to renew his contract with Atletico in the summer of 2020 – but it fell through as Atletico's president Enrique Cerezo refused to pay his agent a 10 per cent commission fee. Arsenal then swooped in at the last minute on deadline day, having originally given up on a deal. 'Transitioning from Spain to London was the most difficult [period] of my life,' Partey told Ghanian outlet 3Sports this month. Partey established himself as a key player under Mikel Arteta, playing a total of 52 games across all competitions in the 2024-25 campaign. In total, the defensive midfielder has featured 167 times for Arsenal to date, chipping in with nine goals and seven assists. Martin Zubimendi, who is set to join Arsenal from Real Sociedad this summer, will essentially replace Partey in Arteta's squad. But Arsenal will also look to bring in another defensive midfielder if and when Partey's exit is confirmed, especially given Jorginho is leaving too. More Trending Sevilla star Lucien Agoume is reported to be on Arsenal's list of potential options. Brentford captain Christian Norgaard is also being considered, according to The Mirror. Last month, Arsenal manager Arteta was asked if he wanted Partey to stay at the club and said: 'Yeah. 'Consistency-wise, it's been his best season. I think the way he's played, performed, his availability has been exceptional and he's a really important player for us.' MORE: Ruben Amorim sends message to Manchester United over Emiliano Martinez transfer MORE: Chelsea set Nicolas Jackson asking price as Premier League club join transfer race MORE: Napoli respond to transfer offer for Scott McTominay after dream debut season

Carlos Alcaraz had ‘no expectations' ahead of tennis grass season
Carlos Alcaraz had ‘no expectations' ahead of tennis grass season

Powys County Times

time3 hours ago

  • Powys County Times

Carlos Alcaraz had ‘no expectations' ahead of tennis grass season

Carlos Alcaraz said he had 'no expectations' coming into the grass-court season but he installed himself as a clear favourite to retain his Wimbledon title after beating Jiri Lehecka to win the HSBC Championships. The Spanish top seed regained his crown as the King of Queen's Club and replicated his debut triumph of two years ago with a 7-5 6-7 (5) 6-2 victory. Alcaraz lifted the trophy just a fortnight after his epic five-set victory over Jannik Sinner in the final of the French Open. keep smiling @carlosalcaraz 🙌 @QueensTennis | #HSBCChampionships — ATP Tour (@atptour) June 22, 2025 The 22-year-old made the tight turnaround from clay to grass look simple, even though he took time out for a holiday in Ibiza before heading to London. 'It's really complicated, the switch from clay to grass in just few days, because that's the time I had before the tournament began,' he said. 'Just two days of practising and then I had to compete here. So I came here with no expectations at all. 'I just came here with a goal to play two, three matches, try to feel great on grass moving, and, you know, give myself the feedback of what I have to improve, what I have to do better. 'So what I'm more proud about this week is th e way that I have been improving every day. You know, since the first day until today, I think I'm a different player on grass. I just got used to it really quick.' It was an 18th-straight match win for Alcaraz – in his fifth consecutive final – following his title successes in Rome and Roland Garros. World number 30 Lehecka had knocked out home hope Jack Draper on Saturday to become the first Czech finalist since Ivan Lendl won the title in 1990. The 23-year-old played his part in a high-quality final with some huge serves and powerful groundstrokes, forcing the match to a decider via a tie-break. But Alcaraz did not face a single break point and slammed down 18 aces on his way to a 21st career title, proving he will be the man to beat at SW19 again with a stylish win in two hours and eight minutes. There will be no trip to the party island to celebrate this one, though. 'I wish,' he smiled. 'I'm a player who needs days off, days to enjoy, days for myself to spend with my friends, with my family, just to turn off my mind. I need that, and the good thing is that I know that. 'The days in Ibiza helped me a lot, just to feel like I'm not a tennis player, just to enjoy life a little bit with my friends, have fun, enjoy those days, and then come back to the court with more energy, I mean, be more hungry to play again. 'So that was really helpful for me. I'm not going to say that I won the tournament because of Ibiza, but, after this tournament, I can't go back home. I'm going to stay here in London, hopefully enjoy London a little bit. 'I'm going to have my days off to rest up, to enjoy, and then be back and preparing Wimbledon the best way possible.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store