Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek withdraw from pre-Wimbledon lead-up tournaments at Queen’s Club and Berlin
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Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek will look to translate their form and confidence from a stellar claycourt season straight to the grasscourt of Wimbledon, having withdrawn from their respective pre-Wimbledon build-up tournaments. While Alcaraz withdrew from the Queen’s Club tournament in London, Swiatek will not play the German Open in Berlin.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is on a 35-match unbeaten streak, having won six tournaments in a row. After an intense claycourt season that saw her play right up to the conclusion of the French Open, the Polish superstar decided to recharge her batteries ahead of the grasscourt Major.
Unless she takes a late wildcard at another tournament on grass next week, which seems unlikely, Swiatek will play directly at Wimbledon. World No. 3 Paula Badosa joined Swiatek and has also withdrawn from the German Open.
The limited time between the French Open and Wimbledon has always been a tricky situation to manage for players, particularly those who have had an intense claycourt season and need some rest while also not wanting to play their first grass tournament directly at Wimbledon.
Teenage tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the pre-Wimbledon event at Queen’s Club to recover from a slight elbow niggle. The Spaniard’s first match at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships will be his first match on grass since the 2021 edition.
Speaking about the situation, Alcaraz admitted that he has less experience on grass but is confident of his chances at the iconic Wimbledon Championships.
“I don’t have much experience on grass, but I felt comfortable at Wimbledon in 2021. I’m going there to try to win the tournament like in every event I enter,” said Alcaraz.
In Murcia, Alcaraz confirms he won’t play any pre-Wimbledon tournament. “I don’t have much experience on grass, but I felt comfortable at Wimbledon in 2021. I’m going there to try to win the tournament like in every event I enter” https://t.co/PkIYj7NXjC
He further expressed that he is already ‘thinking about Wimbledon’ and is keen to prepare for the tournament to the best of his abilities.
“I am already thinking about Wimbledon, about recovering my elbow in the best possible way and preparing for Wimbledon. I hope to give a joy to all Murcians,” the Spaniard said.
Carlos Alcaraz has been one of the most successful male players so far this season. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek has been the most dominant player on the WTA tour this season and holds a massive lead at the top of the rankings. She is guaranteed to hold on to the top spot until at least mid-September as points currently stand.
Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek’s past records at the Wimbledon Championships
Carlos Alcaraz last played a match on grass in the second round at last year’s Wimbledon Championships, losing in straight sets to second seed Daniil Medvedev. Despite an early exit, he left the tournament with great memories from his first-round match. Alcaraz defeated Japan’s Yasutaka Uchiyama 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in a long battle, which was his first tour-level match on grass.
Back in 2019, Alcaraz was a quarterfinalist at the junior Wimbledon Championships. Just three years since then, the Spaniard will enter the event as the World No. 7 on the professional circuit.
Iga Swiatek’s maiden professional appearance at Wimbledon was at the 2019 championships, where she was unseeded. She lost her opening match against Viktorija Golubic in straight sets.
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Swiatek returned to Wimbledon as a much-improved player in the 2021 edition and was the seventh seed. She made it through to the fourth round, eventually losing to Ons Jabeur in a three-set battle.
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