Wimbledon 2023: Five best quarterfinal matches

The quarterfinals of Wimbledon will take place over the next two days with four matches on Tuesday and four matches on Wednesday. Here are the five most intriguing matches.

5) (1) Carlos Alcaraz–ESP vs. (6) Holger Rune–DEN

Here we have a fascinating battle of 20-year-olds. Alcaraz is a grand slam champion having won the 2022 United States Open, and is a strong Wimbledon contender because of his win at Queen’s. Rune may not have a lot of grass experience, but the fact he reached the semifinals of Queen’s showed tennis fans he is capable of playing high quality tennis on any surface. Alcaraz and Rune have won one match each head-to-head. Alcaraz won in the round robin of the 2021 Next Gen Finals, while Rune won in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Paris Indoor when Alcaraz withdrew because of an abdominal tear.

4) (2) Novak Djokovic–SRB vs. (7) Andrey Rublev–RUS

Djokovic has been simply spectacular on the tennis court over the last year when he has been playing. He is the defending champion of Wimbledon and the Australian Open. One must remember he is a 23-time major champion. You cannot count Rublev out though. The seventh seed is an eight-time quarterfinalist who reached the final of Halle before losing to Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Head-to-head, Djokovic has beaten Rublev three of four matches. Djokovic won 6-3, 6-2 at the 2021 ATP Finals, 6-4, 6-1 in the 2022 ATP Finals, and 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Australian Open. Rublev won 6-2, 6-7, 6-0 in the 2022 Serbian Final. Yes, folks, Djokovic actually lost a deciding set at love.

3) (1) Iga Swiatek–POL vs. Elina Svitolina–UKR

Swiatek is a four-time major champion, while Svitolina is a two-time major semifinalist who received entry into Wimbledon this year through a wildcard. Swiatek won the French Open in 2020, 2022 and 2023, and the United States Open in 2022. Svitolina reached the semifinals of Wimbledon and the United States Open in 2019. Swiatek won their only prior match. That was a 6-2, 7-5 win in the quarterfinals of Rome in 2021.

2) (2) Aryna Sabalenka–BLR vs. (25) Madison Keys–USA

Here we have a grand slam champion against a grand slam finalist. Sabalenka won the 2023 Australian Open, and Keys reached the United States Open final in 2017. Sabalenka and Keys have won one match each head-to-head. Sabalenka beat Keys 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of Cincinnati in 2018, and Keys beat Sabalenka 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 in the second round of Berlin in 2021.

1) (3) Elena Rybakina–KAZ vs. (6) Ons Jabeur–TUN

Here we have a grand slam champion against a two-time grand slam finalist. Rybakina in fact won Wimbledon last year over Jabeur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. That was their last meeting head-to-head. Since then Jabeur also reached the United States Open final. All-time, Jabeur and Rybakina have beaten each other twice. Rybakina’s other win was a 6-1, 6-7, 6-2 victory in the second round of Wuhan in 2019. Jabeur meanwhile beat Rybakina 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 in the second round of Dubai in 2021, and beat Rybakina again 6-4, 3-2 in the semifinals of Chicago in 2021. Rybakina withdrew due to an illness.