London, July 4 :Carlos Alcaraz survived another erratic performance on Friday, battling to a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Germany\u2019s Jan-Lennard Struff to stay on track for a third straight Wimbledon crown.
\n Alcaraz made 28 unforced errors in an inconsistent display on Centre Court but conjured enough moments of magic to eventually subdue the world number 125 and book his place in the last 16.
\n The world number two had been pushed to the brink in a five-set win over 38-year-old Italian Fabio Fognini in the first round and looked below his best again in a second-round victory over British amateur Oliver Tarvet.
\n After grinding out his latest underwhelming win, the Spaniard has plenty of room for improvement.
\n \u201cI knew it was going to be really difficult. I had to be really focused. His game suits the grass with the big serves,\u201d Alcaraz said.
\n \u201cIt\u2019s stressful. To be honest, I was suffering in every service game today, 0-30, break points down.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really pleased that I was fighting, running for every ball and making great shots.\u201d
\n In contrast to Alcaraz\u2019s laboured efforts, world number one Jannik Sinner \u2014 his main rival at the All England Club \u2014 has dropped just 12 games in his first two matches.
\n It is hardly time for Alcaraz to panic, however.
\n He has won his past 21 matches since losing to Holger Rune in the Barcelona final in April, a streak that has brought him titles at the Rome Masters, the French Open and Queen\u2019s Club.
\n The 22-year-old, who fought back from two sets down to beat Sinner on clay in an epic final at Roland Garros last month, has won 32 of his 35 Tour-level matches on grass.
\n The five-time Grand Slam winner\u2019s last defeat at Wimbledon came against Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.
\n \u201cHe pushed me and it was just about surviving. I\u2019m surprising I\u2019m standing here after four sets,\u201d Alcaraz said of the hard-hitting Struff.
\n Having vanquished Novak Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals, Alcaraz is looking to join an elite group of Wimbledon icons.
\n He hopes to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles after Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and seven-time champion Djokovic.
\n Having fretted about his misfiring serve in the first two matches of his title defence, it was a worrying moment for Alcaraz when he started the match with a double-fault.
\n The Spaniard managed to win that game and quickly broke Struff\u2019s serve twice to wrap up the opening set in just 27 minutes.
\n Alcaraz looked in complete control when he broke again early in the second set.
\n Yet his serve woes suddenly returned as he was broken in the next game and again in the eighth, allowing the 35-year-old to level the match.
\n Alcaraz, then still a precocious teenager, had to come from two sets to one down to beat Struff in the Wimbledon first round in 2022.
\n He was not in quite such a perilous position this time, but the Spaniard was still relieved to take the third set after landing the crucial break in the second game.
\n Alcaraz was pushed hard in the fourth set before at last delivering the knockout blow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
London, July 4 :Carlos Alcaraz survived another erratic performance on Friday, battling to a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Germany\u2019s Jan-Lennard Struff to stay on track for a third straight Wimbledon crown. Alcaraz made 28 unforced errors in an inconsistent display on Centre Court […]<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":122063,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-sports-news"],"yoast_head":"\n