Carlos Alcaraz displayed his trademark fighting spirit to book a spot in the Wimbledon 2025 quarter-finals after overcoming a rocky start against Andrey Rublev on Sunday. The Spanish tennis star, who is aiming for a remarkable third consecutive Wimbledon crown, found himself a set down but bounced back with precision shot-making and mental toughness to seal a 6-7(5/7) 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory on Centre Court.
The defending champion’s journey at this year’s tournament has kept fans on the edge of their seats. While world number one Jannik Sinner and seven-time winner Novak Djokovic remain in commanding form, second seed Alcaraz has shown flashes of brilliance mixed with moments of inconsistency. His next challenge will be Britain’s Cameron Norrie — the last British player standing after an epic five-set win over Chile’s Nicolas Jarry.
Reflecting on his performance, Alcaraz said he felt proud of how he adapted his game. “I think I played smart and stayed focused tactically. Tennis is so much about mental strength — one point can flip everything. I stayed positive and knew my game would come together,” said the 22-year-old, now eyeing his sixth Grand Slam trophy.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka reinforced her status as favourite for the women’s singles title by powering through to the last eight without dropping a single set so far. The world number one survived a tough encounter against Belgium’s Elise Mertens, winning 6-4 7-6(7/4). The Belarusian, who missed last year’s event with a shoulder injury and was banned in 2022, is determined to make her mark this time. She will next face Germany’s Laura Siegemund.
“With the crowd behind me I feel like anything is possible,” Sabalenka told fans. “This tournament is special for me. I dream of lifting that trophy one day and I’m giving it everything.”
Elsewhere, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova advanced after a bizarre line-calling mishap during her fourth-round clash with Britain’s Sonay Kartal. A clear out ball was missed by the electronic system due to operator error, costing Pavlyuchenkova a game point at a crucial moment. Despite her frustration, she recovered to claim a 7-6(7/3) 6-4 win and move into the next round. The All England Club acknowledged the glitch but confirmed the umpire handled it by the rules.
Russia’s Karen Khachanov was the first to reach the men’s quarter-finals with a dominant 6-4 6-2 6-3 win over Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak. He now faces US fifth seed Taylor Fritz, who advanced in under an hour after Australia’s Jordan Thompson retired injured trailing 6-1 3-0. Fritz’s earlier marathon matches gave way to a comfortable passage this time as he eyes a deep run at SW19.
With big names still in the hunt and surprise performances unfolding daily, the stage is set for an electric final week at Wimbledon 2025.