Queen's as a preamble to a dream: Alcaraz and a possible triple crown at Wimbledon

There are triumphs that serve as a prelude to youthful dreams , even if these have come true in some way. Carlos Alcaraz's victory at Queen's was the best possible preparation for the dream that has kept him awake for weeks , maybe months: winning his third Wimbledon title. And in a row.

Grand Slams are always special, even if some evoke better memories than others. It's true that the US Open was Carlitos's first win, and it was also true that he had his first major triumph on the grass in London . That victory over Novak Djokovic in 2023 still lives on in the collective imagination.

It turns out the Serbian had a chance to equal Roger Federer's record for winning Wimbledon the most times (eight). But in the last two years, he's succumbed to a player whose style of play is as implausible as it is indecipherable . Alcaraz has a chance to extend his London record and get closer to the great grass-court winners.

The first step toward glory weeks is to play (and win, if possible) at Queen's. The situation was uneven last year, when a trip to Ibiza knocked Carlitos out of the tournament early on . With barely any time to prepare for Wimbledon, he completed his best Grand Slam final. Facts like this justify why sport isn't based on arithmetic.

The difficulty of its rivals

"I'm so confident that everything seems to be going my way. Everything is going well for me, but obviously I'm confident that they have to play at a very high level for two and a half or three hours to beat me," said Carlitos after his victory over a resolute Lehecka (7-5, 6-7 and 6-2).

Adapting from clay to grass is always tricky, but Alcaraz has achieved it in a matter of days. Against tough opponents like Lehecka and Munar, he has emerged at his best. A match against which it's not enough for his opponents to be at their best ; it takes much more to knock him out.

Arrival at Wimbledon

"It's very difficult to go from clay to grass in such a short time. I came here with no expectations, just to get a couple of matches in and get into the rhythm to play on grass . I'm very proud of how I've adapted . What I'm most proud of this week is how I've improved," Alcaraz said of his time at Queen's.

Now comes the return to his favorite competition, the one where he wants to triumph and continue making history . He did the same in 2023 and 2024. And a couple of weeks ago at Roland Garros, Alcaraz continues to make steady progress in tennis.