Carlos Alcaraz blazes through Wimbledon, reaching the third round with the finesse of a seasoned pro. But it won’t be that easy, as the Spaniard will go against Frances Tiafoe, his former US Open rival. However, after hearing of their clash, the 21-year-old tennis player openly sledged the American star with a competitive statement!

After winning the second-round match against Aleksandar Vukic, the interviewer mentioned Tiafoe’s words to Alcaraz about getting ready to face the Spanish player. Listening to that, he stated, “I’m going, I’m going for him,” with a big smile on his face. Further, he added, “I mean, yeah, we played a really really good match in the US Open. I know that he’s a really talented player really tough one even. I’m going to say even tougher here on grass with his style, good thoughts, good volley, good slices.”

Interestingly, Tiafoe has been having a bit of a tough time this year and even controversially commented, “I’m barely seeded here, losing to clowns, I mean…” But now the real challenge is going to come. The same goes for Alcaraz, who recognizes that his old US Open foe is going to be his biggest challenge at Wimbledon yet.

“It is going to be a very difficult match for me. But I’m ready to take that challenge, put on a show. I’m ready to play a really high level of tennis and hopefully take him,” he confidentally stated after his match against Vukic.

For the first time since their exciting five-set semifinal match in Flushing Meadows, where Alcaraz won his first major championship, the dynamic duo will square off again at the Championships. In an interview with ESPN, Tiafoe gave the early warning that he was going to “come after” the World No. 3 ahead of their third-round matchup.

He has been open about his desire to turn things around at the All England Club after a challenging year in which he finished outside the Top 10 rankings and only won one grass-court match before Wimbledon. On the esteemed grass courts, Tiafoe is eager to restore his form against fierce opposition.

On the other hand, after the US Open clash, the 26-year-old tennis player opened up about having the Spaniard as the opponent.

Frances Tiafoe believes Carlos Alcaraz is a ‘hell’ of a player 

During his press conference following the US Open semifinal defeat to Carlos Alcaraz, Frances Tiafoe expressed admiration for the youthful Spaniard. He complimented Alcaraz’s remarkable court mobility, saying he had never seen anyone move with such grace. Tiafoe said, “He’s a hell of a player. He’s going to be a problem for a very long time. Again, I mean, I still had my looks. I still had my chances, so… It shows where I’m at.”

This prognosis has been confirmed by recent outcomes, which highlight Alcaraz’s steady ascent and influence in the world of professional tennis. At the same time, Alcaraz believes, “Frances, a great player, a great person as well. He always smiles. He always seems like he’s enjoying his time on the court, off the court as well. It’s pretty impressive.”

Both players are expected to put on a brilliant show, so it’s going to be an exciting one! Are you looking forward to the upcoming third-round clash?