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Wimbledon: Alcaraz sets up Norrie clash after extending winning streak

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Carlos Alcaraz came from a set down to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon after battling past Andrey Rublev across four thrilling sets on Centre Court. 

Alcaraz, who is aiming to make it a hat-trick of triumphs at the All England Club, edged closer to realising that dream with a 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory on Sunday. 

But the defending champion was given a scare by Rublev, who edged the tie-break in the opening set, but Alcaraz regained his composure and controlled the match from there. 

The Spaniard broke in the eighth game of the second before levelling the encounter with a hold to love, though Rublev more than matched the second seed in the third. 

However, Alcaraz was able to get the better of his opponent, with a Rublev double fault allowing his opponent to break and go within one set of advancing to the last eight. 

And he sealed his progression with another fine showing in the fourth, clinching the win with a fierce serve that Rublev returned into the net, having already saved match point.

Alcaraz's reward is a clash against Cameron Norrie, who kept the hopes of a first British winner in SW19 since 2016 alive with a sensational triumph over Nicolas Jarry. 

Norrie was forced to fend off a spirited comeback from Jarry to emerge a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (7-9) 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 victor in a four-hour and 29-minute epic on Court One. 

At 29 years and 312 days old, he became the third-oldest British player to reach the men's singles quarter-final at Wimbledon, after Andy Murray (2017) and Roger Taylor (1973). 

Norrie had squandered the chance to clinch the match in the third set tie-break, and even he could not put into words how he got himself over the line. 

"Honestly, I don't know. Nico did an unbelievable job of sticking with me. I had to keep fighting," Norrie said. 

Norrie is also the third player ranked outside the top 50 to reach a grand slam quarter-final in 2025, after Lorenzo Sonego (Australian Open) and Alexander Bublik (French Open). It is the first time this has occurred in the first three majors of a season since 2006. 

Data Debrief: Alcaraz continues Wimbledon dominance

While Alcaraz's start to his title defence at Wimbledon somewhat stumbled, he has more than found his feet now and will look to continue that momentum moving forward. 

He has now won 18 consecutive matches at the grass-court major, while also extending his own winning streak to 22, and it looks like it will take something special to beat him. 

Indeed, at 22 years and 56 days old, Alcaraz is the youngest player in the Open Era to reach 12 men's singles quarter-finals at grand slam events.

He is also the youngest player to reach three consecutive men's singles quarter-finals at the All England Club since compatriot Rafael Nadal (22 years 20 days, 2006-08).