Alcaraz and Rune, the video of the double together at 13 years. Today at Wimbledon (against) – Corriere.it

The web knows how to bring out pearls at the right time. A few hours from the Wimbledon quarter-final that will see them face each other, a video of Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune doubles partners. They were 13 years old, playing in the prestigious «Les Petits As» tournament – ​​sponsored by Lacoste and held every year in Tarbes, at the foot of the Pyrenees – but they were already making magic. The television graphics of the time, among other things, identified Alcaraz as C. Garfia, his second surname: the talent of the Spanish and Danish, however, was already unmistakable and dominant against “normal” opponents.

Smash, net play, precision and power from the baseline. Unplayable. They’ve been separated for a week, Alcaraz and Runes: Holger was born on April 29, 2003, Carlos on May 6. And already at a youth level, of course, the quality can be seen: from Les Petits As (a tournament that has hosted all the strongest players on the planet over the years) to Wimbledon, from the indoor surface to the grass which is giving away a place in the semifinals against winner of today’s least unbalanced quarter, the one between the Russian Medvedev and the surprise American Eubanks.

In the major circuit, Alcaraz (who defeated Berrettini in the quarter-finals) and Rune will face each other for the third time: for the moment, a victory for the Spaniard at the Next Gen Finals in Milan 2021 and one for the Dane in the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000 last year. Both challenges were played indoors, today will be the first outdoors: for a few hours, Alcaraz and Rune will have to forget a friendship that has been going on since they were children. «We shared many beautiful moments – said Alcaraz after the victory against Matteo Berrettini-. We have been playing together since we were 12 and I am delighted to face it. I think it’s the same for him.”