Alcaraz the wunderkind! Five stats that define his staggering Wimbledon achievement

At 21 years of age, Carlos Alcaraz is already placing himself among the greats of tennis.

Alcaraz Wimbledon champion 2024 | Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic

July 14, 2024

Now that Carlos Alcaraz has successfully completed his Wimbledon title defence, the 21-year-old Spaniard’s career CV looks even more impressive than it did a month ago, when he won his maiden Roland-Garros title to become the youngest player to ever hold Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces.

In the wake of his 6-2, 6-2. 7-6(4) triumph over 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic, we take a look at five of the big-picture statistics that jump off the page after Alcaraz’s latest triumph.

1. Youngest player to ever win the RG-Wimbledon double in the same season

By reeling off his last 14 Grand Slam wins on the trot, Alcaraz has done something that only five other players have accomplished in Open Era history: win Roland-Garros and Wimbledon in the same season. Not only does Alcaraz join Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic on this lofty list – he also becomes the youngest ever to achieve the feat.

2. Second man in history – and youngest – to win his first four Grand Slam finals

Only two players in history have won their first four Grand Slam finals in the Open Era. Roger Federer was the first to do it, the Swiss maestro claiming seven Slam finals on the trot before he first took a loss in a Grand Slam final. Now Alcaraz is the second, and the only one to win his first four majors before turning 22.

3. Equals the Open Era record for most Grand Slam men’s singles title before turning 22

Crazy to think that Alcaraz still has two more majors to play while 21, because he is already tied for the lead in Grand Slam titles won before turning 22 in the Open Era.

Alcaraz joins Boris Becker, Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander at the top of the list. It’s a category he can have all to himself if he can win the title at either the US Open or next year’s Australian Open.

4. Third man to win Multiple Wimbledon titles before turning 2022

Prior to today, only two open era players had won multiple Wimbledon men’s singles titles before turning 22: Boris Becker (3) and Bjorn Borg (2). Becker is safe on that list, but Alcaraz pulls even with five-time champion Borg as he has now won two Wimbledon titles at the age of 21.

5. Ninth Man in History to Successfully Defend Wimbledon Title

Only nine men have successfully defended the title at SW 19, and the list is a veritable who’s who of tennis history. Here are the nine men who have successfully defended a Wimbledon title in the Open Era, including Alcaraz: