A WIMBLEDON champion’s 13-year-old brother is already following hot on his sibling’s heels.
The rising star has stunned fans with his incredible technique despite only just turning a teenager.
InstagramThis 13-year-old is a rising star in tennis already[/caption]
He is the younger brother of a Wimbledon championInstagram
XThe teenager bears a striking resemblance to his sibling[/caption]
His Instagram account boasts an impressive 34,600 followers already.
And he has shared plenty of content winning various trophies and tournaments.
Plus, the youngster has had the chance to train and compete at the prestigious Rafa Nadal Academy.
He was even on site at the All England Club with his family to witness his sibling clinching his maiden Wimbledon title – and meet Jannik Sinner.
And many believe the kid is tipped for greatness – just like his superstar older brother.
That is because Jaime Alcaraz is related to none other than Carlos Alcaraz.
That’s right, Carlos may have racked up four Grand Slams within months of turning 21 and become the youngest world No1 in men’s tennis history.
But some fans reckon he might not even turn out to be the best player in his family.
The older Alcaraz won his first Major at the US Open in 2022.
He then backed it up with successive Wimbledon crowns against Novak Djokovic – either side of clinching the 2024 French Open.
However, there is already plenty of excitement building around lookalike Jaime.
Jaime is the youngest of the four Alcaraz brothers.
A video on social media shows Jaime crunching his forehands and frantically scampering across the back of the court – in movement eerily similar to his champion brother.
So it is no wonder there is so much excitement about the latest Alcaraz child prodigy.
One fan said: “It looks like he’s going to be very very good. I guess it runs in the family.”
Another wrote: “Great footwork and the determination to chase everything. Impressive.”
Tennis stars following in parents’ footsteps
TALK about pressure…
These rising stars are all making their way in tennis.
But they have got something in common – they’ve got a famous parent who also made their name in the sport.
So who are the players hoping to follow in the footsteps of their tennis mums and dads?
My dad is one of the greatest tennis players ever… but he’s not my idol
My mum won US Open aged 16 then Wimbledon… but you won’t know it from my surname
My Czech dad won Australian Open and my sisters are elite golfers… but I’m playing for different country
My millionaire dad played with Federer… but I’ve reached three Grand Slam finals
My dad earned £1m and got to French Open final… but I’ve already surpassed his career
My record-breaking dad is in tennis Hall of Fame and won Wimbledon… but I’m aiming to emulate his achievements
A third added: “Basically a carbon copy, right down to the haircut.”
A fourth joked: “Jaime Alcaraz plays tennis like this at 13 years old and he looks more like his brother Carlitos than Carlos Alcaraz himself — leave something for the rest of the world, crazy.”
And a final user simply typed: “Wow.”
Jaime secured a significant win on the Rafa Nadal Tour in Madrid last year, coming through a 48-player draw in the Under-12s category.
Incredibly, in an amazing twist of fate, brother Carlos won the exact same event seven years earlier.
So, Wimbledon titles in 2030 and 2031 for Jaime Alcaraz, maybe?
EPAJaime is the younger brother of Carlos Alcaraz[/caption]
GettyThe four siblings pose together with a replica Wimbledon trophy[/caption]
Jaime Alcaraz was at Wimbledon to see his brother claim the 2023 titleinstagram @jaime.alcarazz
GettyThe youngster cheered Carlos on from his Centre Court player box[/caption]
instagram @jaime.alcarazzHe also met Jannik Sinner and grabbed a photo with the Italian[/caption]
XJaime uses a matching Babolat racquet[/caption]
XLike Carlos, he moves across the back of the court with lightning-fast footwork[/caption]
Wimbledon ditching line judges a double fault for British tennis
By Joshua Jones
THE absence of line judges at Wimbledon will be a sad sight.
For as long as I can remember, the men and women decked out in their Ralph Lauren outfits have been part of the furniture at the All England Club.
Yes, they provided some mild entertainment on the court when one would call “fault” with plenty of extra, and unnecessary, gusto and volume that boomed around Centre Court, prompting a snigger from the fans.
Then there was the ongoing game of dodgeball they had to play when a big serve nailed a mammoth ace down the line and they had to take rapid evasive action or take a whack to the top of the head.
And challenges provided some audience participation, excitedly joining in the clapping countdown before the inevitable “oooh” when the graphic showed just how close the ball was to landing in or out.
Purely objectively, Wimbledon’s decision to replace line judges with Hawk-Eye Live makes total sense.
The accuracy and consistency of calls in real-time will speed things up, save time and should mark the end of arguments over the tight incorrect calls – well, until the technology malfunctions.
And Wimbledon’s hand was somewhat forced to ditch tradition for their standing in tennis.
The Australian Open and US Open already use electronic line calling and the ATP Tour is adopting Hawk-Eye Live across all of its tournaments from 2025.
Wimbledon’s refusal to comply would leave them lagging behind and exposed to the threat of needless controversy over human error.
But the impact – as is so often the case in these decisions – has ramifications further down, below the surface with very little impact on Wimbledon’s Championships or the players.
It is on the line judges themselves.
Approximately 300 officials – aged from 18 to 80 – covered more than 650 matches at Wimbledon.
A fraction travel internationally with the circuit but the vast majority of those are part-time line judges based in the UK, earning up to £180 per day to work at the prestigious tournament and their chance to play their part at Wimbledon.
For many, they will help out at British tournaments throughout the year, spurred on by the possibility of taking to the lawns of the All England Club.
But it is understood many of those officials would be reluctant to work at the lower-level tournaments without the carrot of Wimbledon dangling in the summer.
That in turn will put a major stumbling block in the pathway for British tennis umpires, who grind up through the ranks to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
Like football with referees, tennis needs umpires and line judges.
So the inability to call “out” at Wimbledon could prove to be a major “fault” for the future of the UK’s tennis officials and therefore the state of the sport on these shores.
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