- Carlos Alcaraz has won all nine of his grass-court matches this season 
- Carlos Alcaraz has dropped only two sets across winning his last eight matches 
- Recommended bet: Carlos Alcaraz -4.5 games on handicap

Once Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both call time on their careers, Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune are expected to form the next big rivalry in men's tennis and their Wimbledon quarter-final promises to be a classic.

The 20-year-old duo were once partners in the junior doubles, so they will know each other's game well, and they have not taken long to stamp their authority on the ATP Tour.

Alcaraz, already at world number one, is a Grand Slam champion having won last season's US Open and has hoovered up 11 titles on the ATP Tour.

Rune has had less of an impact so far but he is at world number six and has lifted silverware on four occasions, which includes a Masters 1000 event in Paris in which he defeated Alcaraz in the quarter-final.

This is a first Wimbledon quarter-final for either and grass is considered to be the weakest surface for both. However, Alcaraz, the recent Queen's Club champion, is a red-hot favourite to enhance his ever-growing reputation.

The Spaniard came from a set down to defeat 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini in the last 16 and the form of his victory at Queen's, which saw him overcome Alex De Minaur, Sebastian Korda, Grigor Dimitrov and Jiri Lehecka, looks even stronger now.

The stats

Alcaraz defeated Rune in the Next Gen Finals in Milan when both players were teenagers in 2021, but that was played under special rules with sets only first to four.

The only competitive meeting to take place on the ATP Tour saw Rune prevail at last year's Paris Masters, with the Dane leading 6-3 and being 3-1 ahead in the second-set tie-break when Alcaraz was forced to retire.

But Alcaraz has had plenty to celebrate this season, winning five tournaments, including claiming his first grass-court title at Queen's Club at the end of June.

That means Alcaraz has won all nine of his grass-court encounters in 2023, dropping only three sets along the way.

Rune, having made the semi-final at Queen's Club, has lost only one of his nine grass-court matches this season and he showed great desire to defeat Dimitrov in four sets in the last 16.

Prediction

Rune has been trying his luck on the run to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. Not only did the Danish delight need a fifth-set tie-break to beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in round three, he also found himself a set behind in his last-16 duel with Dimitrov too.

It is evident that Rune is still getting used to playing on grass and it is his raw talent that is helping him through.

The same may be said for Alcaraz, but the Spaniard has the potential to be one of the greats of the game and it is difficult to see how Rune will be able to live with his speed and unwavering aggression on both sides of the court.

So, Alcaraz is fancied to prevail, especially on the back of his impressive four-set win over Berrettini, and he may do so a shade cosily.

Back Alcaraz -4.5 games on the handicap at 4/6 with LiveScore Bet.