Carlos Alcaraz could join back-to-back Wimbledon winners - ESPN

Carlos Alcaraz could join an elite group this weekend.

The 21-year-old phenom defeated Daniil Medvedev in the Wimbledon men's singles semifinals Friday. He'll face the winner of the Novak Djokovic/Lorenzo Musetti matchup for a chance to repeat as Wimbledon champion.

Players and teams trying to run it back have to deal with heightened expectations, the fatigue of a deep title run and a crowd of motivated competitors who've set their sights on the throne. Despite that, a number of incredible tennis players have managed to win back-to-back Wimbledon titles — and some went on runs that made it difficult to imagine anyone else ever knocking them off.

Could Alcaraz put his name in the record books alongside them? Here's a list of tennis players in the Open era (since 1968) who won back-to-back Wimbledons.

Laver also won back-to-back Wimbledons in 1961 and 1962, during the Amateur era. His 1969 title was particularly special, as it was part of what remains the only Grand Slam in a calendar year by a men's singles competitor.

Newcombe was the runner-up to his Australian countryman Laver, but broke through in 1970 for his own title. Laver failed to make the semifinals in both of Newcombe's wins, denying fans an opportunity to see a title rematch.

King won three consecutive Wimbledons from 1966 to '68, but the first two were in the Amateur era. Her 1972 victory against Evonne Goolagong in the final denied Goolagong her own opportunity to become a repeat champion.

In the late 1970s, there was no way to get past Bjorn Borg at Wimbledon. The Swede won an astounding five consecutive Wimbledon titles, beating an array of tennis legends in the process. Borg defeated Ilie Năstase, John McEnroe, Roscoe Tanner and Jimmy Connors (twice)