Wimbledon 2024: Carlos Alcaraz vs Aleksandar Vukic preview, head-to-head, prediction, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Carlos Alcaraz vs Aleksandar Vukic
Date: Wednesday, July 3
Tournament: Wimbledon 2024
Round: Second-Round (Round of 64)
Venue: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, England, United Kingdom
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Grass
Prize Money: £50,000,000
Live Telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | UK - BBC | Canada - TSN, RDS, & ESPN International | India - Star Network
Carlos Alcaraz vs Aleksandar Vukic preview
Third seed Carlos Alcaraz is set to lock horns with an in-form Aleksandar Vukic in a tantalizing second-round clash at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships on Wednesday, July 3.
Alcaraz kicked off his title defense against Estonian youngster Mark Lajal in the opening round. Lajal gave Alcaraz plenty to think about with his early injection of pace from the baseline. His gutsy play was rewarded with a break in the fifth game. Alcaraz, however, broke right back in the next game without dropping a point. The Spaniard's experience came to the fore later in the tie-breaker as he sealed the set on a Lajal double fault.
Lajal was all over Alcaraz at the start of the second set, breaking the Spaniard on his first service game. Alcaraz once again fired right back in the very next game to level the score. A decisive break from 40-0 down in the tenth game enabled Alcaraz to take a 2-0 set lead. The third set in stark contrast was one-sided, with the Estonian very quickly crumbling under the pressure, paving the way for Alcaraz to seal a 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-2 win.
Vukic, meanwhile, took on Sebastian Ofner in the first round. Both players were coming off impressive runs in Eastbourne and Mallorca last week. Vukic made it to the semifinals where he lost to Taylor Fritz, while Ofner lost in the final to Alejandro Tabilo.
Ofner edged Vukic in a tight first-set tie-breaker that saw a total of twenty points. Vukic fought back in sets two and three with a solitary break to take a two-sets-to-one lead. Ofner, however, leveled the score in the fourth set on the back of some blistering baseline play. The decider saw the pair battle it out in another tie-breaker, with Vukic coming out on top this time around to seal an emphatic 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8) victory.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Aleksandar Vukic head-to-head
Carlos Alcaraz and Aleksandar Vukic are yet to face off in professional competition so their head-to-head is currently 0-0.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Aleksandar Vukic odds
(Odds to be added once made available)
Carlos Alcaraz vs Aleksandar Vukic predictions
A blockbuster encounter awaits fans as Carlos Alcaraz and Aleksandar Vukic prepare to go to battle in the second round of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships.
Alcaraz was in top form during his opener bar the minor hiccups in the first two sets. He was particularly good on serve, winning 84% of points on his first serve. He also attacked the net regularly, winning an impressive 79% of his net points. Vukic on the contrary was taken the distance in his opener but displayed incredible mental fortitude to eventually plow through in the decider. While he was good on serve, as usual, his unforced errors column was a major cause for concern. He will have to be much better from the back of the court if he is to challenge Alcaraz.
Vukic has equaled his best result from last year where he also reached the second round, going down to Quentin Halys in straight sets. Alcaraz on the contrary won the crown last year, beating seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in a five-set epic.
Alcaraz heads into the encounter the firm favorite to make it through despite the threat Vukic presents on serve. The Spaniard's incredible record at the Championships and his current run of form should set him apart as he continues his quest for a fourth Grand Slam title.
Pick: Alcaraz to win in straight sets.