How Freaking Good is Carlos on Grass?

By Joey Tennis Balls · match preview

Written June 25, 2025, about the events of that week. For today's numbers see the live Elo & Glicko rankings or who is moving now.

His Career Start on Grass Surpasses the GOATs

Carlos Alcaraz's early-career record on grass, a surface that has historically challenged even the greatest champions in their first years, is close to unprecedented.

Alcaraz's grass-court record so far:

• Exceptional Win Record: Alcaraz is 29-3 on grass, a 90.6% winning percentage.
• Leading the Greats: After his first 32 matches on grass, Alcaraz's win percentage (90.625%) surpasses that of tennis legends Bjorn Borg (75%), John McEnroe (81.25%), Boris Becker (84.375%), Pete Sampras (68.75%), Roger Federer (62.5%), and Novak Djokovic (75%) at the same stage of their careers.
• Early Title Haul: At just 22 years old, Alcaraz has already secured four grass-court titles, including two Wimbledon championships.
• Matching a Legend: His four grass titles already levels him with Rafael Nadal's career total on the surface.

Alcaraz: A Grass-Court Prodigy

When comparing his start on grass to six all-time greats who have each won three or more Wimbledon titles, Alcaraz stands alone at the top with a 90.6% win rate. This outpaces legendary figures like Roger Federer, who, despite a comparatively slower start with a 20-12 record (62.5%) in his first 32 grass matches, went on to claim a record eight Wimbledon men's singles titles.

Alcaraz's career winning percentage on grass currently stands at 90%, reportedly the best of any current or former ATP No. 1 in history, albeit with a smaller sample size than established legends like Federer (86.9% over 221 matches) and McEnroe (85.8% over 141 matches).

While players from earlier eras, such as Borg and Becker, reached the 32-match milestone at younger ages due to a more extensive grass-court circuit in the 1970s and 1980s, Alcaraz won Wimbledon at 20 and again at 21. Boris Becker famously won his first Wimbledon at 17 and his second while still 18, finishing his Wimbledon title collection with a third at age 21.

Alcaraz's record looks like more than a spell of good form. Streaks like Federer's 65 consecutive wins or Borg's 41 straight victories on the surface are still a long way off, but his start has made him the player to beat on grass.

First 32 Match Performance

Career Performance