Frenchman Alexandre Muller will play the most important match of his life Thursday when he takes on World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon.

The 26-year-old Frenchman, who beat countryman Arthur Rinderknech Wednesday in his first main-draw grass-court match on the junior or professional degree, is aware of that he’ll begin because the longest of longshots in opposition to the latest Queen’s champion. However he will give it every thing he is bought.

Listed here are 5 issues to learn about Muller as he prepares for his huge match with the Spaniard.

He is as inexperienced because the Wimbledon grass
Muller’s prior expertise enjoying on grass? None on the junior degree. Within the professionals he performed Halle and Wimbledon qualifying in 2021 and Wimbledon qualifying final yr. That is it!

He arrived at Wimbledon Thursday however he practised little or no on account of a leg harm and rain. “I used to be nonetheless enjoying on clay courts one week in the past, so I did not anticipate something superb right here,” Muller mentioned. “It was a ravishing day for me. It is simply loopy that I gained this match with my preparation. With the harm and the rain there was not a lot apply.

“I used to be assured in my recreation as a result of I had simply gained a event. However I did not have loads of grass apply behind me.”

He is a giant Roger Federer fan
My earliest reminiscences of Wimbledon are watching Roger win all his titles. He was my idol. He appears very cool. Each time you noticed him he was smiling.

He has lower in half his Pepperstone ATP Rating this yr
Muller was World No. 160 in the beginning of the season however with a mix of ATP 250 and Challenger Tour succeess, he’s now No. 71 within the Pepperstone Reside ATP Rankings.

Muller started to see huge progress in February when he reached the quarter-finals in Doha, the place he took a set from Andy Murray. But it surely was a run that just about did occur: He survived a match level in opposition to Tomas Machac within the closing spherical of qualifying.

However the perfect was nonetheless to come back. Initially of the clay season he beat countryman Richard Gasquet and Italian Lorenzo Musetti en path to the Marrakech closing (l. to Roberto Carballes Baena).

“I have been enjoying very nicely for a lot of months now. I’ll attempt to proceed like this and break the High 50,” he mentioned.

Alexandre Muller celebrates his first-round Wimbledon win in 2023.” />

He is been burning up the ATP Challenger Tour
Muller got here into Wimbledon having gained the Montechiarugolo Challenger and reached the Perugia semi-finals in back-to-back weeks in Italy. In March he reached the Waco Challenger closing in Texas.

He’s 19-9 at Challenger degree this season and 122-111 profession, with two titles.

“I am a participant with a stable baseline recreation,” he mentioned. “I like lengthy factors with loads of photographs, however I could be aggressive after I should be. If somebody likes lengthy rallies, they need to come watch me play.”

He is prepared for Carlos!
Muller bought a style of big-court motion when he performed Jannik Sinner on Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros this yr. The Italian gained 6-1, 6-4, 6-1, however Muller mentioned it was a precious studying expertise.

“It may be an excellent expertise to play in opposition to Carlos, the No. 1 on the earth, on a giant courtroom,” he mentioned. “I’ll play each level like it’s the final level of my profession. I’ll get pleasure from it.

“I performed in opposition to Sinner on centre courtroom at Roland Garros, so it was good that I’ve had some expertise enjoying on a giant courtroom.”