Alcaraz Faces a Barrage of Big Servers at Queen’s

Carlos Alcaraz, the world No. 2 and defending champion at the Queen’s Club Championships, is set to face a challenging draw filled with big-serving opponents as he begins his grass-court season. The Spaniard, fresh off his French Open victory, is aiming to fine-tune his game on the lawns of London in preparation for his Wimbledon title defense. However, the path to glory at Queen’s won’t be easy, with several players possessing the firepower to trouble Alcaraz.

Alcaraz’s Queen’s Club Draw

Alcaraz, the top seed, started his Queen’s Club campaign against Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo, a Top 30 player. Although Alcaraz won 6-1, 7-5, Cerundolo was a potentially tricky opponent. In the second round, Alcaraz faced Britain’s Jack Draper, who recently won his first ATP title in Stuttgart. Draper defeated Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

Here’s a closer look at some of the big servers who could challenge Alcaraz at Queen’s Club:

• Milos Raonic: The Canadian is known for his booming serve, which has been a major weapon throughout his career. Raonic reached the Wimbledon final in 2016 and has the potential to cause problems for any opponent on grass. Raonic played Cameron Norrie in the first round.
• Ben Shelton: The young American possesses a huge serve and forehand, making him a dangerous player on fast surfaces. Shelton’s aggressive style could test Alcaraz’s defensive skills and ability to handle pace. Shelton played a qualifier in the first round.
• Jack Draper: Draper has an aggressive baseline game and a strong serve, which is well-suited to grass courts.
• Other Potential Threats: Several other players in the draw, such as Ugo Humbert and Sebastian Korda, have the ability to serve big and could pose a threat to Alcaraz.

The Importance of Queen’s Club for Alcaraz

The Queen’s Club Championships is a crucial event for Alcaraz as he transitions from clay to grass. The tournament provides him with valuable match practice on the surface and allows him to adjust his game accordingly. Alcaraz won both Queen’s Club and Wimbledon last year, highlighting the importance of this tournament in his preparation for the grass-court season.

Other Notable Players in the Queen’s Club Draw

Besides Alcaraz, several other top players are competing at Queen’s Club, including:

• Alex de Minaur: The Australian, who reached the final at Queen’s Club last year, faces a challenging first-round match against Italian Lorenzo Musetti.
• Andy Murray: The five-time Queen’s Club champion received a wildcard and played a qualifier in the first round.

First-Round Matches to Watch

• Sebastian Korda vs. Karen Khachanov: Korda, a finalist in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, plays big-hitting Khachanov in an intriguing first-round match.
• Cameron Norrie vs. Milos Raonic: Norrie faces Raonic in a battle of former Top 10 players.
• Grigor Dimitrov vs. Adrian Mannarino: Dimitrov, the third seed and 2014 champion, plays Mannarino, a two-time grass-court titlist.

Expert Predictions

Tennis experts are divided on Alcaraz’s chances at Queen’s Club, with some predicting a strong run and others suggesting he could be vulnerable against the big servers in the draw. However, most agree that the tournament will be a valuable opportunity for Alcaraz to hone his grass-court game ahead of Wimbledon.