Aleksandar Vukic is among seven Australians scheduled to compete on day three at Wimbledon 2024.
London, Great Britain, 3 July 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Aleksandar Vukic is ready for one of the biggest challenges of his career on day three at Wimbledon 2024.
The 28-year-old from Sydney will make his No.1 Court debut, facing world No.3 and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a second-round men’s singles match.
“I haven’t played on the biggest stages yet,” said Vukic, who is making his second main-draw appearance at Wimbledon this year. “It will be new territory for me, but I’m very excited to experience it and live it to the fullest.”
Vukic does boast a winning record against Alcaraz, saving a match point in a three-set tussle during a first-round qualifying match at Roland Garros in 2020.
“I’m sure we both remember that match,” the world No.69 said.
That was then-17-year-old Alcaraz’s first match at Grand Slam level. In the four years since, he has become the youngest man in history to win major titles on three different surfaces and the youngest man to top the ATP Tour singles rankings.
They practised together most recently during a tournament last year in Beijing, which proved an eye-opening experience for Vukic.
“It wasn’t necessary him playing, obviously he’s a very good tennis player, but it was more his fame,” Vukic related of what struck him most in that practice session.
“I’m just there on court and no one knows who I am, then he comes on and everyone’s going insane. It was like ‘this guy is living in another world’.”
Vukic believes he can trouble the 21-year-old Spanish star, noting “everyone’s beatable”.
“If things go my way, if I play well, serve well or if he doesn’t have his best day – one hundred per cent I can win,” he said.
Jordan Thompson is also familiar with his second-round opponent, world No.65 Brandon Nakashima. They have met five times previously, with the 22-year-old American winning three of those encounters.
Thompson did, however, win their most recent meeting. The 30-year-old from Sydney prevailed in five sets during the opening round at Wimbledon last year, fighting back from a two-set-to-love deficit.
“I need a better start than last year against him,” noted Thompson after recording another five-set victory in the opening round on Monday.
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