Grass is verdant for all-court master Carlos Alcaraz

bombay: From among the many reels-worthy moments from this hebdomad’s exercise session betwixt the 2024 men’s finalists, single stood out. It not only brought out the maverick touch of the defending champion, but also summed up his hold on the surface.

Novak Djokovic served out wide. Carlos Alcaraz lunged to his right for a crisp return and immediately sprinted to his left. All through his run, he was just by the baseline as Djokovic moved in and hit a backhand to the open court. Except, Alcaraz was there, in that sweet blending spot of the baseline and singles sideline, to send down a cracking backhand passing winner on the run with both feet off the court.

Djokovic shrugged his shoulders. Alcaraz raised his arms and, in an apologetic afterthought, yelled out: “Sorry”.

What for, Carlos? For that ridiculously good passing shot? Or for outwitting again, like in the last two Wimbledon finals, a seven-time champion on that court? Or for flaunting, on a surface that was alien to him just four years ago, a 91% win record?

For the 22-year-old Spaniard who grew up playing on clay courts and hadn’t set foot on grass for a tour level match before 2021, Alcaraz’s numbers on it are astounding. He’s won 29 of 32 matches so far, raking up in his early days a win percentage that betters even Roger Federer, a record eight-time Wimbledon winner, and Djokovic.

Alcaraz has won more trophies (4) on it than lost matches (3), including the last two Wimbledon and this year’s Queen’s titles. His four titles so far on grass already match Rafael Nadal’s entire career tally.

Grass, with the surface’s shrinking presence on the tour, can take time to decipher. Alcaraz has taken to it like fish to water.

What explains this mastery in the fast lane? There’s the more glaring gamestyle reason, and some other subtle factors.

Alcaraz uses parts of the court that most modern day players are reluctant to, which blurs the line between defence and offence. Court positioning is key to that and Alcaraz staying close to the baseline in that point with Djokovic, as opposed to being further behind on clay, shows his surface awareness. That court positioning meant he not only got to the ball, but turned it into a passing winner. As per TNT Sports quoting Tennis Data Innovations, Alcaraz won the maximum percentage (37%) of such steal points – where a player wins a point from defence – through his Queen’s campaign.

Alcaraz feeling at home at the net also helps on grass. So does his openness to resort to the serve and volley. Against Roberto Bautista Agut at Queen’s, Alcaraz delivered one of the points of the tournament by serving out wide, rushing in, picking up the low return and volleying it across from ankle height for a drop winner. Brave thinking, brilliant execution.

This is Alcaraz doing Alcaraz things. Yet, where Alcaraz also does well on grass are in facets that can’t be termed as his strengths.

The serve has a bigger say on grass than any other surface and the Spaniard is shining in both hitting and receiving the first strike. According to Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers, Alcaraz has won 32.56% first-serve return points on grass in his career, the best among active players. Djokovic is at 30.73%. His overall win percentage (26.51) in return games is also the highest on grass (Djokovic is 25.91). Swing back to that practice point and the magic begins with a quality return.

As for his serves, regarded as his weaker suit, Alcaraz fired 18 aces in his Queen’s final, and did not drop serve in his last three matches there.

If he continues to serve and return as well over the next couple of weeks, to complement his natural all-round game and smart court positioning on grass, good luck stopping Alcaraz at Wimbledon.

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