Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz fired a Wimbledon warning as he comfortably beat Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 to claim the Queen’s Club title on Sunday and return to world No.1.

In baking temperatures, the 20-year-old had too much firepower for his wily Australian opponent as he claimed his first grasscourt title in impressive fashion.

It was only Alcaraz’s third tournament on grass, but the way he marched through the draw augurs well for his prospects at Wimbledon where he will be seeded No.1.

De Minaur, the first Australian to reach the London final since Lleyton Hewitt in 2006, had chances for a break of serve when leading 4-3 in the opening set but could not capitalise on it.

Alcaraz had to save two break points in the eighth game, broke in the next game and then served out for the set. Alcaraz won the only break point of the second set, when De Minaur double-faulted, and sealed the title on his first match point when the Australian sent a return long.

De Minaur is one of the craftiest lawn players in the world but he could do nothing as Alcaraz showed great lawn skills.

The win saw the 20-year-old Spaniard move above Novak Djokovic in the rankings and confirmed the US Open champion as a serious challenger to the Serbian’s crown at Wimbledon. Alcaraz lost in the fourth round to Jannik Sinner last year.

Sunday’s final was Alcaraz’s first on grass. He is the fourth Spanish player to win the prestigious pre-Wimbledon tournament and will now hope to emulate Rafael Nadal who triumphed at Queen’s in 2008 before going on to win Wimbledon for the first time a few weeks later.

“So many legends have won here so to see my name on the trophy surrounded by great champions, it’s amazing,” Alcaraz said on court.

“I started the week not too well, but I adapted my movement and I ended the week with a lot of energy,” he said.

As well as Nadal, several other players in recent times have gone on to win Wimbledon after conquering Queen’s Club, including Andy Murray in 2013 and 2016, Pete Sampras in 1995 and 1999, and Lleyton Hewitt in 2002. Boris Becker, then a teenager, also did the double in 1985 as a teenager.

Even 22-time grand slam champion Nadal took a while to adapt his game to grass, but the speed at which Alcaraz has looked at ease on the surface is astonishing.

Reuters, AP/PTI