LONDON – The temptation was real for Carlos Alcaraz: to celebrate his epic Roland Garros triumph with a whole week of partying in Ibiza with friends. Instead, he chose to win Queen’s and build momentum and confidence ahead of his bid for a third Wimbledon title.
“I’m feeling extremely confident. Everything’s going my way,” said the 22-year-old Spaniard, sitting next to the huge ATP 500 trophy—his 21st career title.
Can you really be more confident than after coming back from two sets down, saving three match points in a five-and-a-half-hour Grand Slam final against your biggest rival? For Alcaraz, there’s no such thing as too much confidence.
“Winning matches and titles always gives you more and more confidence. There’s no ceiling. Especially on grass, because we don’t play many tournaments on this surface. And what makes me happiest is seeing how much I’ve improved compared to last year,” Alcaraz said in a press conference at the historic Queen’s Club in West London, in response to a question from CLAY”.
The break was more than well deserved after winning his fifth Grand Slam the way he did in Paris against Jannik Sinner. There was celebration. There was some rest. But in small doses: just three days on the Mediterranean island. He stuck to the original plan with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, and less than a week after tasting glory at Roland Garros, he landed in London.
“Those days in Ibiza helped me feel like I’m not just a tennis player,” he admitted.
Alcaraz claimed his second Queen’s Club title. On the Andy Murray Arena – the main court of the event, renamed in honour of its greatest champion – the world number two battled past Czech player Jiri Lehecka 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-2. He has now played four finals on grass—and won them all.
Until now, Rafael Nadal was the only player in history to win Queen’s (2008) straight after lifting the Roland Garros trophy. Alcaraz has matched him.
“Making the switch from clay to grass in just a few days is really difficult. I came here with no expectations. The goal was to play two or three matches, get used to the surface, and feel good. I wasn’t thinking about winning the title or reaching the final, so what makes me proud is how quickly I adapted and how I’ve improved year after year,” said Alcaraz to the press.
Carlos Alcaraz 🇪🇸 devient le premier joueur à enchaîner la victoire au Queen’s juste après avoir décroché le titre à Roland-Garros depuis Rafael Nadal en 2008. 🧡💚 pic.twitter.com/HCoGNaZsn2
— Univers Tennis 🎾 (@UniversTennis) June 22, 2025
“I made a big mistake after winning my first Grand Slam in 2005. I was young, and I didn’t give the grass-court season my full attention,” Nadal admitted a couple of months ago to Andy Roddick on the Served podcast.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion lost in the first round in Halle that year and won only one match at Wimbledon. “After that, I told myself: ‘If I keep winning Roland Garros, the next day I’ll start practicing on grass,'” he added.
Alcaraz wasn’t as strict as Nadal about skipping days off, but he did manage to strike a balance that helped him stay mentally fresh during the most demanding stretch of the tennis calendar.
Now, by matching another milestone set by his compatriot, the two-time defending champion heads into the third Grand Slam of the season on an 18-match winning streak—undoubtedly as the heavy favourite and the man to beat.
