The future of tennis is here. Alcaraz and Rune, two young guns in the world's top 10 (Alcaraz ranked first and Rune sixth) meet in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. The two have a lot in common: apart from being born a week apart - Rune on April 23rd 2003 and Alcaraz on May 5th. They are both explosive and love to dominate in all parts of the court, but do the most damage from the baseline.
Going back in time, the two are only slightly older than Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi when they met in New York in 1990. The two Americans made tennis history, and the same is to be expected from this pair.
The Spaniard is already a Grand Slam winner, clinching the US Open last year to go alongside his four ATP Masters 1000 titles. Rune won his first Masters 1000 last November in Paris, beating five Top 10 opponents, including Alcaraz, who retired with an abdominal injury with the Dane leading 6-3 6-6.
Youth battles
Alcaraz and Rune, if similar tennis-wise - with the Spaniard perhaps being more technical - are characteristically a little different. Alcaraz brings aggression on the court and is often more astute than the Dane, who is sometimes criticised for over-the-top behaviour.
'To come here and play a quarter-final together is something great for tennis,' said Alcaraz. "Of course with Holger, we played in many tournaments when we were 12 years old. We grew up together, passing all categories, playing big tournaments, so to play a quarter-final in a Grand Slam against him is something great and something I will be happy about."
Rune's thoughts are the same: "It's great. It's a great feeling. It shows that the young players are doing a great job. To be able to play a quarter-final against a player of the same age as you, at the top of the rankings, is a great feeling. I can't wait to play this match."
The technical challenge
Asked what he would steal from Rune, Alcaraz said the Dane's backhand, while Rune would like the Spaniard's drop-shot forehand. In the last ten matches played, Alcaraz has one loss - against Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros, while Rune has lost two against Casper Ruud and Alex de Minaur at Queen's.
The same De Minaur was later destroyed by Alcaraz in the final. It could mean something but also nothing.
On the most famous green lawn in tennis, Rune has so far recorded more aces, 45 to 31, while in the other statistics, they are almost even in everything: points won on the first serve (79% and 78%) and with the second (57% versus 54%).
The two Next Gen phenoms got this far by beating two grass veterans in the round of 16. Carlos Alcaraz beat Matteo Berrettini in four sets, and Holger Rune did the same against Grigor Dimitrov. Both won their match after losing the first set.
Not a match with a foregone conclusion
Despite the Spaniard being favoured, it will surely not be as simple as expected. It will not be a walkover for Alcaraz, and a long match is to be expected. Both know each other well, both are not afraid of each other and both will have their chances in this match.
