A tennis player with the best parts of Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer all mixed into one “complete” package? It’s a scary thought but one Djokovic admits is very much a reality after the Serb was dethroned as the king of Wimbledon by Carlos Alcaraz.
The 20-year-old Spaniard achieved what no other player had managed in 10 years by beating Djokovic on Centre Court at Wimbledon to claim the second grand slam title of a career that promises so many more. The 1-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 3-6 6-4 triumph for Alcaraz ended Djokovic’s quest for a fifth straight crown, also denying the Serb a record-equalling eighth trophy at the All England club and 24th major overall.
Djokovic’s bid to match Federer’s Wimbledon feat and Margaret Court’s all-time record for grand slam singles title will have to wait for another time. Few would bet against the 36-year-old adding to his men’s record grand slam trophy haul, but in the form of the 20-year-old whizz-kid from Spain, Djokovic knows he has very much met his match.
esser players than Alcaraz could have gone to pieces after being thoroughly outplayed by Djokovic in the opening set. Things looked particularly grim for the Spaniard when he found himself set point down in the second stanza, but Alcaraz found the mental resolve and confidence in his own game to battle back and square the match up after taking the tiebreak.
It was a pivotal moment that would have gone a long way towards banishing the demons of Alcaraz’s semi-final defeat to Djokovic at the French Open, when nerves brought about match-defining leg cramps. The fact Alcaraz has been able to learn and adapt makes him an even more frightening proposition for rivals – remembering he had only played four professional grass-court tournaments before this year’s Wimbledon triumph.
