Alec Deckers: Dutch tennis talent with a unique background

Few tennis fans would have been surprised to see Alec Deckers appear in the results for the first time a few years ago. Deckers is the son of Daphne Deckers and Richard Krajicek, the only Dutchman to have won Wimbledon so far. Yet, he has developed his own tennis identity in recent years and broke into the ATP Ranking's top 500 a few years ago. Sjeng Sports breaks down some aspects of Deckers' career.

Name: Alec Deckers
Born on: May 2, 2000
Nationality: Dutch
Tennis hand: Right
Current ATP Ranking: 903

Alec Deckers, born in Blaricum in 2000, is a Dutch tennis player who has steadily made his way into the professional tennis world in recent years. Deckers is known for his imposing height (1.93 meters) and powerful serve, which can be considered an essential weapon in modern tennis. Deckers is right-handed and has a solid two-handed backhand, allowing him to deliver an effective game both from the baseline and at the net. This has made him a versatile player, capable of playing well on various surfaces.

Deckers' personal background

As mentioned, Deckers is the son of Richard Krajicek, former Wimbledon champion, and former model and presenter Daphne Deckers. At a young age, Alec Deckers was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, a rare condition that causes inflammation in the blood vessels and primarily affects children under five. This diagnosis presented a challenging time for the family. His mother, Daphne Deckers, has spoken openly about this, emphasizing, among other things, the importance of early detection and treatment for this disease.

Career development

Despite these early health challenges, Alec Deckers has developed into a professional tennis player. As the son of Krajicek, Alec has a unique perspective on the professional tennis world, and while having a parent with such experience can be an advantage, it also comes with expectations. Richard Krajicek has always emphasized that Alec must forge his own path and develop his own identity as a player. This approach has helped Deckers grow independently and define his own playing style and career path.

This chosen path subsequently helped him break into the world's top 500. In August 2023, he reached ^number 483 in the ATP Ranking, which remains Deckers' all-time high . This ranking was achieved in part by several victories at the ITF level. For example, he won an ITF tournament in Doha in 2021, topped the charts in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and Heraklion, Greece, in 2022, and lifted the trophy in Velje, Denmark, in 2023. These victories testify to his dedication to the sport and his determination to establish himself in the competitive tennis world.

Return to the top 500?

Things have been quiet around Deckers for a while now. He played his last ITF-level match in August 2024, where he was eliminated in the semifinals on the grass courts of Roehampton. Partly as a result, he has slipped somewhat in the world rankings, now sitting at 903rd in the ATP Ranking. Whether we'll see Deckers return to the world's top 500 remains to be seen, but there's no doubt that "the son of" has talent.