Clay champions don't need rub of the green in SW19

Iga Swiatek called it a "huge challenge", while Carlos Alcaraz wanted to enjoy his third grand slam title before turning his mind to emulating Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

On the women’s side, there is Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams. Between them, it is a list of tennis legends and all-time greats – but a select group, too. They are the only players in the Open era to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same summer.

The Roland Garros-Wimbledon double, or the Channel Slam, as it is sometimes known, is notoriously difficult to accomplish. Only the most consummate players have mastered the switch from clay to grass after the French Open and the transition between different surfaces while being successful on both, especially for those who go deep into the tournament in Paris. It may not be as hard as it used to be, given there are now three weeks between the grand slams rather than two, as well as the changing nature of grass and how it plays, but it’s still among the toughest tests in the sport.

To win the French Open and Wimbledon back to back requires a great champion, capable of not only remarkable levels of mental and physical recovery following the clay season but with the drive and determination to set new targets once arriving onto the grass. It explains why, since the turn of the century, only Williams, Nadal, Djokovic and Federer have succeeded. But with Djokovic a major doubt for Wimbledon after undergoing knee surgery and Nadal choosing to prioritise the Olympics, that era is fast coming to a close.