Rafael Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni believes only three players are capable of winning Wimbledon.
Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz booked his place in the third round with a straight-sets win over British qualifier Oliver Tarvet.
Alcaraz was taken to five sets by the retiring Fabio Fognini in his opening match but enjoyed a more straightforward day at the office against world number 719 Tarvet.
The Spanish five-time Grand Slam winner is bidding to become only the fifth player in the Open Era to win three consecutive men’s singles titles at Wimbledon.
Uncle Toni says Alcaraz is ‘undoubtedly the man to beat’ at the All England Club, with Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic the ‘only’ two players that could beat the defending champion to the title.
Despite Alcaraz’s incredible rise, Italian star Sinner is the current world number one and looking to add to his tally of three Grand Slam titles.
The 23-year-old led Alcaraz by two sets in last month’s epic French Open final and failed to convert three Championship points before his rival produced an incredible comeback at Roland Garros.
It took Sinner less than two hours to breeze into the second round of Wimbledon as he thumped his compatriot Luca Nardi 6-4 6-3 6-0 in one of the most impressive displays so far.
Djokovic is only the sixth seed in the men’s draw but has won this tournament seven times – one fewer than record holder Roger Federer – and is eyeing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
The 38-year-old is also safely through to the second round after overcoming physical issues to beat France’s Alexandre Muller in four sets.
‘The main question on the minds of fans and experts is, without a doubt, whether anyone will be able to defeat our great player,’ Toni Nadal wrote in a column for El Pais.
‘I sincerely believe that, under normal conditions, very few opponents have the ability to trouble Carlos.
‘It’s true that on grass courts, the element of surprise comes into play more, but looking at the draw he’s facing and considering the fact that the surface is less damaged in the first few days and the game is very fast, I don’t see anyone who can seriously challenge him.
Toni Nadal hailed as ‘the coach of the century’
‘Uncle Toni would most probably be the single most important person in Rafael Nadal’s tennis life, because he’s played with him since he was a little kid.
‘Uncle Toni was able to take Rafa from a little kid to win the French Open and to win Wimbledon, and the other two, the US Open and Australian Open.
‘That’s got to be coach of the century in Toni Nadal. The bond that they share has been unbelievable. Every time you saw Rafa play, you could feel that he was always listening to Toni, looking at Toni.
‘Toni is obviously like a second father to him. To be that good a tennis coach as an uncle, and to be able to do what he did with Rafa Nadal’s tennis, is absolutely incredible.’
Tennis icon Mats Wilander speaking to TNT Sports.
‘Alcaraz also possesses, as he has demonstrated over the last two years, the almost perfect conditions to perform with ease on the London grass.
‘As if that weren’t enough, the Murcia-born player arrived at the tournament brimming with morale and confidence following his epic comeback in the Roland Garros final and his recent triumph at Queen’s.
‘Without a doubt, Carlos is the star of the year and the man to beat. The only two players who could possibly catch him along the way are the current number one, Jannik Sinner, and seven-time Wimbledon champion, Novak Djokovic.’
Defending champions Alcaraz faces Felix Auger-Aliassime or Jan-Lennard Struff in the third round of Wimbledon.
Sinner takes on Aleksandar Vukic in his second-round match while Djokovic meets Britain’s Dan Evans for a place in the third round.
A surprising 13 seeds in the men’s draw suffered first-round defeats at Wimbledon, including world number three Alexander Zverev and former Grand Slam champion Daniil Medvedev.
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