In a pulsating third-round clash at Wimbledon 2025, Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion and world No. 3, faced a formidable test from Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff on No. 1 Court. The 22-year-old Spaniard, fresh off his Roland Garros triumph, battled through a grueling two-hour, 33-minute encounter, narrowly avoiding a fifth-set decider to secure a 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-5 victory. Alcaraz’s relief was palpable as he admitted, “I was just surviving,” a candid reflection of a match that tested his resilience against a relentless opponent. The win propelled him into the fourth round, keeping his dream of a second Wimbledon title alive on the hallowed grass of SW19.
The match was a rollercoaster, with Struff, ranked No. 41, pushing Alcaraz to the brink. From the outset, the German’s powerful serve—clocking 23 aces—and aggressive baseline play disrupted Alcaraz’s rhythm. “El partido contra Struff era incómodo. Es un tenista que te rompe el ritmo, con muy poco peloteo,” noted Spanish tennis legend Alex Corretja, capturing the challenge Struff posed with his relentless, point-ending shots. Alcaraz, known for his electrifying all-court game, struggled to find his groove, particularly in the third set, where Struff’s pinpoint accuracy on serve and 67 winners overwhelmed the Spaniard’s defense. “I could not believe what he was doing out there,” Alcaraz said, shaking his head at Struff’s ability to dictate play with 80% first-serve points won and 30 service games held across the tournament.
The first set went to a tiebreak, where Alcaraz’s composure shone, clinching it 7-4 with a searing forehand winner that ignited the crowd. The second set saw him break Struff at 4-4, capitalizing on a rare double fault to edge ahead 6-4. But Struff, a 35-year-old veteran in his ninth Wimbledon appearance, refused to fade. He roared back in the third set, dominating the tiebreak 7-5 with a barrage of winners, including a 132 mph ace that left Alcaraz stunned. “He was playing great tennis, serving unbelievably,” Alcaraz acknowledged, crediting Struff’s “huge shots” for keeping him on the ropes. The fourth set teetered on a knife’s edge, with Struff holding a break point at 5-5 that could have forced a decider. But Alcaraz, summoning the clutch gene that powered his 2024 Wimbledon and French Open titles, unleashed a breathtaking drop shot to save the game, then broke Struff with a crosscourt backhand to seal the match 7-5.
This victory, Alcaraz’s ninth in 10 career matches against Struff, underscored his ability to “go de menos a más,” as Corretja observed, growing stronger as the match progressed. His 43 winners and 78% net points won showcased his versatility, even as 35 unforced errors revealed the pressure Struff applied. The match, played under the No. 1 Court roof due to London’s fickle weather, drew a raucous crowd that Alcaraz fed off, raising his arms in triumph as fans chanted his name. “To get to the second week in this way means I’m improving match by match,” he said, exuding confidence despite the scare.
Alcaraz’s path to the title remains daunting, with No. 11 Alex de Minaur awaiting in the fourth round and potential clashes with top seeds like Jannik Sinner looming. His 2025 season, already glittering with a French Open crown after a five-set epic against Sinner, proves he thrives in high-stakes battles. Yet, Struff’s performance—his best Wimbledon run since 2019—served as a reminder of the depth in men’s tennis. “I didn’t expect that level from him,” Alcaraz admitted, a nod to Struff’s 13-match win streak on grass that included a title in Braunschweig. As Alcaraz advances, his ability to survive such tests will define his quest to join Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as one of Wimbledon’s multi-title legends. For now, he savors a hard-fought win, knowing that at Wimbledon, survival is often the first step to glory.
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