Carlos Alcaraz has clinched yet another ATP Tour title, having just beaten Jiri Lehecka in the final of Queen’s.
Alcaraz won his 250th ATP match in the semi-finals at Queen’s, defeating fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
He then followed that straight-sets victory with a battling win over Lehecka, who Alcaraz defeated 7-5, 6-7(5-7), 6-2.
Andy Roddick drew comparisons between Alcaraz and Roger Federer during his run at Queen’s, the latest event in the ATP schedule.
Focus will quickly turn to Wimbledon, the next Grand Slam tournament in the calendar, which gets underway later this month.
What Carlos Alcaraz did during his Queen’s final tie-break against Jiri Lehecka
But Alcaraz will certainly take time to celebrate his 21st career title and fifth of the season, having also lifted the Queen’s trophy in 2023.
And love for the tournament was noticed during the final itself by Great Britain Davis Cup team captain Leon Smith, who said on BBC Sport: “We were standing at the side and I said to you that it was really noticeable that even though he lost the tie-break he was the most vocal that he had been in the whole match.
“He was turning to his box, he was getting fired up and that showed how he then responded as it went into the third set.
“He was composed but he had this determination about him and the reaction when he won it tells you everything that this week means to him.”
Carlos Alcaraz told he has done something ‘remarkable’ after Queen’s title win
Lehecka was always going to be up against it from the first point against Alcaraz, but the Czech ace certainly more than troubled the Spaniard.
He entered the final occupying 30th place in the ATP rankings, with his opponent behind only world number one Jannik Sinner.
But it is Alcaraz who is very much the in-form player between the duo as another edition of Wimbledon arrives.
Not only is he the two-time defending champion, but the 22-year-old is now on an 18-match winning streak, the longest of his career.
He beat Sinner in the finals of the recent Italian Open and French Open, with the Italian having just lost in the round of 16 in Halle.
Continuing his analysis of Alcaraz after his titles at Roland Garros and now Queen’s, Smith said: “I think it is remarkable.
“Yes, there has been a week’s gap but he used that week’s gap to go to Ibiza, not necessarily to work on his game on the grass.
“But the speed of which he makes all adaptations. His serve rhythm looked really good. His returns were on point and they had to be against Lehecka, who has been serving great all week.
“But he has everything. He can vary it, he can attack, he can defend. He is comfortable coming forward. So that is going to work on any surface and particularly here on grass.”
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