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For a little more than two hours, Carlos Alcaraz took to the Wimbledon final and made facing Novak Djokovic look like a saunter under the sun on Centre Court. It wasn’t until the very end, serving for the title with three Championship points, that the 21-year-old was gripped by nerves. But as he banished thoughts of that forehand drive volley, put agonisingly wide, and took to the tiebreak, Alcaraz underlined what was clear from the very start of this Wimbledon final: this was a merciless destruction of the most successful men’s player of all time, who was once again denied a record-equalling eighth title by the brilliant Spaniard.
If the rematch did not live up to last year’s five-set epic, it was only because Alcaraz’s victory was so crushing, a 6-2 6-2 7-6 (7-4) scoreline that would have been even more emphatic had he not blinked when serving for his second successive title. In his 37th grand slam final, Djokovic suffered one of his heaviest ever defeats, second only to Rafael Nadal’s victory in the final of the 2020 French Open. Centre Court waited on a flicker from Djokovic but Alcaraz smothered him from start to end. When given a reprieve in the tiebreak, Alcaraz picked apart his 37-year-old opponent and found the serves required to finally get over the line.
If Alcaraz’s first Wimbledon title was an improbable and unexpected triumph, his second signals that he is already on the path to becoming an all-time great. Alcaraz becomes just the third man aged 21 and under to win multiple Wimbledon titles, after Bjorn Borg and Borris Becker. The Spaniard is just the sixth man in the Open era to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same summer, joining Borg, Rod Laver, Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Those are the footsteps that Alcaraz is following, and this victory over Djokovic proved that when he is locked in, he is close to unstoppable, already on his way to becoming a living legend.
Djokovic had made a stunning recovery from knee surgery to reach a 10th Wimbledon final but the level Alcaraz produced was unlike anything he had faced this fortnight. Alcaraz pulled Djokovic apart, finding his best serving of the tournament and displaying his variety of shots to repeatedly pass his opponent at the net. Djokovic remains one grand slam away from his 25th title and ownership of the all-time singles record. But given his last three attempts have been thwarted by the 22-year-old Jannik Sinner, injury at the French Open, and now the even younger Alcaraz, the great champion may feel further opportunities are quickly running out, with his rivals growing stronger by the year.
Alcaraz is also the problem Djokovic does not have the solution for. Djokovic tried coming into the net but Alcaraz repeatedly found the angles to make passing winners. When he stayed on the baseline, Alcaraz worked his magnificent drop shot to leave him stranded. While Djokovic could barely get a read on Alcaraz’s serve, as the Spaniard flicked between precision and power, his opponent repeatedly took aim at his, blasting his way through. The best returner in the history of the sport failed to take a single break until he was gifted one by Alcaraz, who displayed his mental strength to recover in the tiebreak. But for the first two sets he was obliterated by a champion who is now too fast, too good and so confident of his own abilities.
“Honestly, it is a dream for me winning this trophy,” Alcaraz said. There were kind words and plenty of respect as the finalists met across the net. Djokovic agreed that Alcaraz was “on fire” and it was hard to draw any other conclusion from such a one-sided contest. “Credit to Carlos for playing some amazing tennis,” Djokovic said. “I tried to push him, but it wasn’t meant to be. He was an absolutely deserved winner today.” For the second year in a row, Djokovic had to settle for the role of gracious runner-up, while Alcaraz was the one making history with the Roland Garros-Wimbledon double.
“It’s huge for me to be part of those players who have achieved it in the same year,” said Alcaraz. “Huge champions did it. I don’t consider myself a champion yet like them. I’ll try to keep building my path and journey. It’s a huge moment for me.”
The opening game of the match felt like a continuation of last year’s epic, a 14-minute, 20-point marathon, but the result of Alcaraz converting his fifth break point indicated a different direction of the final. “That set the tone,” Djokovic conceded. It was the perfect start from Alcaraz, a player who usually finds it hard to settle, having dropped the opening set in three of his last four matches and losing the first set 6-1 to Djokovic last year. Instead, Alcaraz consolidated the break with his fastest serve of the tournament, a 136mph bomb out wide that left Djokovic spinning.
One hour in, a set and a break up, Alcaraz was in complete control but pushed for more. Leading 4-2, as Djokovic continued his approach of coming forward, Alcaraz reached a drop shot that whipped a forehand winner down the line to get break point. As he did in the previous set, Djokovic conceded the double break with another double fault, shaking his head as he retreated to his seat. Alcaraz summoned another big serve out wide to move one set away from the trophy.
As Djokovic desperately searched for momentum, the Serbian saved four break points halfway through the third and with the match on the line. Djokovic shook his racket, and Centre Court responded with cries of “Nole, Nole”. It brought a shift from Djokovic, who stood alert on the returns and felt an opportunity as the match ticked into two hours. But Alcaraz was unrelenting, firing a stunning backhand winner crosscourt to get the break in the third.
With three Championship points in hand, Alcaraz showed his nerves. A double fault was followed by Djokovic’s steely return onto his feet on the second. On the third, Alcaraz had the match on his racket but fired wide on the drive volley, an instant after a fan cried out from the crowd. Improbably, Djokovic broke serve for the first time to stay alive. But Alcaraz steadied and held with a gorgeous pick-up volley, turning to roar to the crowd. He made it through to the tiebreak, earning the chance to display his supremacy all over again.
