Cameron Norrie sent a classy message to Carlos Alcaraz after his defeat to the Spaniard in Tuesday's quarter-final, naming the world No 2 as his favourite to pick up the title at the weekend.
The British No 3 departed Wimbledon with his head held high despite suffering a comprehensive 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 loss at the hands of the two-time Wimbledon champion.
The 29-year-old player was effusive in his praise for the defending champion's performance on Centre Court.
"He was too good today," Norrie said after the match. "His level was unreal. He is probably the best player in the world at the moment, the most confident player on his best surface.
Cam Norrie named Carlos Alcaraz as 'the best player in the world' following his straight sets defeat to the Spaniard
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Despite the disappointment of ending Britain's last hope at the tournament, Norrie expressed satisfaction with his effort, saying: "I fought till the last point, so I can be proud."
Alcaraz's superiority was evident throughout the encounter, which lasted just one hour and 39 minutes.
The 22-year-old Spaniard served brilliantly, losing only six points on his first serve during the match.
Alcaraz explained: "On grass when you're serving great or you feel you're serving great, then playing from the baseline or playing the return games, you just have more confidence and play calmly and think clearly."
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After the victory, Carlos Alcaraz explained how confident he is feeling at the moment
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His dominance extended beyond serving, with the five-time Grand Slam winner controlling baseline exchanges and displaying beautiful touch with drop shots.
Norrie failed to convert any of his five break points across the three sets against an inspired opponent who made victory appear effortless.
The victory extended Alcaraz's remarkable winning streak to 23 matches, a run that includes triumphs at the Rome Masters, French Open, and Queen's Club.
The defending champion has not lost at Wimbledon for three years and is now unbeaten in his last 19 matches at the All England Club.
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"It's a 23-match winning streak right now ... and I don't want it to stop there," Alcaraz said cheerfully after his quarter-final triumph.
Alcaraz is attempting to become the fifth man in the open era to win three consecutive Wimbledon titles.
"He is the favourite to win, for sure," Norrie acknowledged, as the Spaniard pursues his sixth Grand Slam title.
Norrie's quarter-final appearance represents a significant milestone in his comeback journey after enduring a challenging period marked by poor form and injury.
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The former British No 1 had plummeted to 91st in the world rankings as recently as May.
"I really feel like I'm enjoying my tennis a lot," Norrie reflected. "I think that's most important. Obviously I didn't play at all from this period onwards last year."
His Wimbledon run will see him return to the top 50 on Monday at number 43, banking £400,000 for his quarter-final appearance.
The left-hander's previous best performance at the All England Club came in 2022 when he reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual winner Novak Djokovic.
Alcaraz will face American fifth seed Taylor Fritz in Thursday's semi-final after Fritz defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4).
The Spaniard appears in supreme form as he continues his bid for a third consecutive Wimbledon title.
"I'm just feeling great, to be honest. That was my best match so far in the tournament and I'm just really happy to see myself improving after every match, each day," Alcaraz said.
It's difficult to compare the level from the previous year but what can I say right now is just my confidence is really high, to be honest."
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