Watch: Carlos Alcaraz plays 'impossible' around-the-net shot against Matteo Berrettini at Wimbledon

Carlos Alcaraz doesn’t leave an opportunity to entertain, an opportunity to think every shot is a chance to produce something special, something other-wordly. There’ve been many examples of it in his nascent professional career. There was a behind-the-back winner against Jannik Sinner at the US Open. Then there was a swivel-and-scoop forehand winner against Novak Djokovic at the French Open. Alcaraz added to the masterclass of shot-making in majors against Matteo Berrettini at Wimbledon on Monday. During the second set, Berrettini, Wimbledon finalist in 2021, played a deft angled volley that landed in the front row. Alcaraz was quick to read it and ran through to play a backhand winner around the net - finding the gap between the net post and umpire’s chair.

The 20-year-old Spaniard would go on to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 and set up a clash with Holger Rune in the quarter-final. It will be the youngest men’s quarter-final in the tournament’s history pitting two 20 year olds. “[We] grew up together, passing all the categories, playing great tournaments,” the world No 1 said of their upcoming meeting. “Playing quarter-finals of a Grand Slam against him is something great and something that I’m going to enjoy for sure. It’s something that for the fans, they are going to enjoy as well.”