Carlos Alcaraz becomes only sixth player to win so-called 'Channel Slam' after Wimbledon triumph

Carlos Alcaraz claimed the Wimbledon title this Sunday after defeating Novak Djokovic in straight sets. The Spaniard secured his fourth Grand Slam title and second of the season, completing the French Open-Wimbledon double, an achievement only five players had previously accomplished in a single season.

The surface change from the clay courts at Roland Garros to the grass at the All England Club requires players to adapt quickly, considering Wimbledon begins just three weeks after the French Open, making it a feat to achieve good results in both tournaments.

Alcaraz continues to make history at 21 years old, achieving the 'Channel Slam', winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season, an accomplishment reserved for a select few throughout history.

The Spaniard had an impeccable performance in the Wimbledon final and successfully defended the title he won in 2023 by defeating Djokovic in the final. This time it was a much smoother match for Alcaraz, taking him less than two and a half hours to close out the match 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4).

This victory adds to the title he won at Roland Garros a few weeks ago by defeating Alexander Zverev in the final. On that occasion, the Spaniard was two sets to one down but ended up turning the match around to reach glory at the French Open for the first time. His triumphs make him the sixth player to achieve the Channel Slam.

The first to achieve this was Rod Laver in 1969, a year in which he won all four Grand Slams. A few years later, Bjorn Borg managed to win in Paris and London in the same season. In fact, the Swede achieved this three consecutive years between 1978-1980.

The next players to accomplish this feat were in recent times. Rafael Nadal did it in 2008 and 2010, while Roger Federer won the Channel Slam in 2009 when he finally secured his first French Open. For Djokovic, it wasn’t until 2021 that he matched his Big-3 rivals.

Alcaraz once again inscribes his name among the top tennis players in history. Additionally, he is the youngest to achieve the Channel Slam at just 21 years old. Previously, Nadal held the record for the youngest when he achieved it for the first time in 2008 at 22 years old.