Kwon Soon-woo's journey to the Wimbledon preliminaries was anything but smooth. In the second round of the preliminary round held on the 24th, he struggled from the beginning against rookie Arthur Zea, ranked 132nd in the world, and was in danger of losing the first set. When the game score of 4-1 failed to maintain the favorable trend and the score was reversed 5-7, many people were concerned about his stamina and concentration. However, Kwon Soon-woo consoled himself with the skill of a veteran, and showed off his ability to turn the game around 6-3, 6-4 with bold net play and stable serve in the second and third sets. Even though there were indicators that he was behind his opponent in the number of aces and winners, his ability to manage the game by reading the outcome of each critical moment was proof of why he is the star of Korean tennis.

This competition has more value for Kwon Soon-woo than simply obtaining ranking points. In April of this year, he won the Gwangju Open and the China Wuxi Open Challenger in succession, rapidly raising his ranking from outside the top 300 to the low 200s in the world rankings, and his upward trend is also clearly visible in this Wimbledon preliminaries. His persistent efforts to recover his ranking, which have continued since the beginning of the 2024 season, shine even in the special environment of the grass court, taking him to the entrance of his dream of being on the major finals stage. In particular, considering that Alejandro Moro Canas, his opponent in the final of this preliminary round, is an ambush after defeating the top seed in the first round, the strategic response shown by Soon-Woo Kwon will be a key variable that will determine the success or failure of the final.

Above all, the point to watch for this competition is that it is the last international competition to be held under the constraints of ‘military status’. For Kwon Soon-woo, who is about to be discharged from military service next month, this Wimbledon is his last official performance in military uniform, and the depth of his desperation is bound to be special. The preliminary finals, like the finals, will be held in 5 sets, which will place an enormous physical burden on both players, who lack recent 5-set experience. If Kwon Soon-woo's experience of winning the Challenger and his expertise on the tour stage shine in this fierce match where mental strength and physical limitations are intertwined, there is a good chance that he will achieve the feat of re-entering the finals for the first time in three years.

From a tennis critic's perspective, Kwon Soon-woo's move to Wimbledon is an opportunity to reaffirm the power of Korean men's tennis. His process of re-establishing his fundamentals and regaining his ranking by performing on the Challenger stage during his hiatus is a story that serves as an example for all athletes who go through ups and downs. The first match against Canas, who will face off in the preliminary finals, is uncharted territory without data, but Kwon Soon-woo's ability to adapt to the grass court and his experience on the big stage will definitely be a powerful weapon that will lead him to victory. His steps in preparing for the spectacular finale of the major tournament finals ahead of a major turning point in his life, such as being discharged from the military, are already worthy of applause in and of themselves, regardless of the results.