5 players who reached both French Open and Wimbledon men's finals in the same season this century ft. Carlos Alcaraz & Novak Djokovic

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have set up a repeat of last year’s Wimbledon final, where the Spaniard came back from a set down to end the Serb’s bid for a Calendar Slam. Alcaraz defeated Daniil Medvedev in four sets while Djokovic moved past Lorenzo Musetti in three to set up the title clash.

What makes Alcaraz's semifinal win over Medvedev even more special is the fact that he has become only the fifth man this century to make the Wimbledon and French Open finals in the same year.

Carlos Alcaraz had beaten Alexander Zverev in the French Open final and his successful transition onto grass has put him in fine company. Here, we take a look at each of those occasions when a men's player made the big final at the two Slams played on natural surfaces in the 21st century:

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Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz will be playing in his second consecutive Wimbledon final (Image via Getty)

Carlos Alcaraz has become the fifth man this century to make the Wimbledon and French Open finals in the same year, having won the clay Slam last month. The Spaniard beat Zverev in a five-set thriller in the French Open final.

On Sunday, July 14, Alcaraz has a chance to successfully defend his Wimbledon title, which he won after beating Djokovic in a titanic five-set tussle 12 months ago, and also complete the rare “Channel Slam”.

The combination of winning the two Slams, played in countries separated by the English Channel, has been achieved only a handful of times. Carlos Alcaraz faces a familiar opponent in his bid - Djokovic.

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Andy Murray

Andy Murray is a two-time Wimbledon champion (Image via Getty)

Andy Murray is one player who was able to break the dominance of the “Big 3” in the 2010s, winning three Grand Slam titles and rising to the World No. 1 ranking.

The Briton also made back-to-back Slam finals at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2016, the year that he won his second title at the grass Major. Murray lost to Djokovic in the final in Paris but delighted home fans with his dominant victory over Milos Raonic at the All England Club.

Murray's win at Wimbledon in 2016 was also his last Grand Slam title triumph.

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Roger Federer

Roger Federer has a record eight Wimbledon titles. (Image via Getty)

At eight, Roger Federer holds the record for the most number of Wimbledon titles. He made the final at the All England Club every year between 2003 and 2009, winning on all occasions but 2008.

While he was not nearly as successful elsewhere, the Swiss legend also made four consecutive French Open finals between 2006 and 2009.

Federer lost to Rafael Nadal thrice at Roland Garros in 2006, 2007, and 2008 before getting his hands on the trophy after beating Robin Soderling in the summit clash in 2009. Federer then defeated Andy Roddick at the 2009 Wimbledon Championships to lift the title for the sixth time and complete the "Channel Slam".

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Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic is eyeing an eighth Wimbledon title. (Image via Getty)

Much like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic reached back-to-back finals at the French Open and Wimbledon on four occasions.

But unlike the Swiss legend, his run was spread across the 2010s and 2020s. Djokovic first pulled off the back-to-back Slam finals in 2014 and 2015, losing the French Open finals to Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka respectively. He made up for the losses with wins over Federer in the Wimbledon finals on both occasions.

The Serb repeated the feat in 2021 and again in 2023. The year 2021 stands out as the only year when Djokovic was able to capture the French Open and Wimbledon crowns in the same year. He was very close last year but lost the Wimbledon final in five sets to Carlos Alcaraz and will have his mind set on avenging the loss this year.

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Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal has made the Wimbledon and French Open finals in the same year on six occasions. (Image via Getty)

Rafael Nadal has dominated the French Open like no other player has at another Slam. The Spaniard has played at the tournament on 19 occasions and won the title on 14 - most recently in 2021.

Nadal has also reached the Wimbledon final on five occasions - 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011- all coinciding with his French Open victories.

The southpaw triumphed on two of those five occasions, making him the only player on this list to have completed the “Channel Slam” on more than one occasion - 2008 and 2010, beating Roger Federer and Tomas Berdych respectively in the summit clashes at SW19.