“I still can’t believe it”: Alcaraz still in shock after his Roland-Garros victory
Carlos Alcaraz returns to competition at Queen’s. Between Ibiza, lingering emotions, and ambitions on grass, the world No. 2 begins a crucial swing…
Carlos Alcaraz, Roland-Garros 2025 – © Imago / Psnewz
Just over a week after his historic triumph at Roland-Garros, Carlos Alcaraz is getting ready to kick off a new grass-court campaign. The defending champion at Queen’s has returned to the courts in West Kensington with a big smile… and still a bit of Ibiza sand in his shoes.
“I went to Ibiza, again. It was fun, but honestly, I was there more mentally than physically,” he said jokingly at a press conference in London. Three days, three nights, a bit of dancing, and—above all—some well-deserved rest after a clay season that was both intense and wildly successful.
The 22-year-old from Murcia is coming off a brilliant spring, highlighted by titles in Monte Carlo, Rome, and of course Roland-Garros, where he wrote another chapter in his young legend. In the Paris final, Alcaraz came back to defeat Jannik Sinner after saving three match points and coming back from two sets down for the first time in his career. A 5-hour-and-29-minute masterpiece, now the longest final in the tournament’s history. That victory earned him his fifth Grand Slam title, while keeping his perfect record in major finals intact (5–0).
Alcaraz will face Davidovich Fokina on his grass debut
A week later, the shock still lingers: “I still watch the videos. I still can’t believe it,” he admits. A kind of dizziness, understandable for someone who has now matched Nadal’s early-career success, becoming the second-youngest player in history to reach five Grand Slam titles, just behind Björn Borg—and the first to save three match points in a Major final and go on to win.
But there’s no time to dwell on it: the grass season awaits. After winning Queen’s and Wimbledon last year, Alcaraz is leading the London field again this week. He’ll start off against fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, in a tournament that serves as the perfect launchpad. The world number two has a lot of points to defend on grass and is aiming to pull off the Roland-Garros – Wimbledon double once again, just like in 2024.
