The young Spanish prodigy beat the four-time defending champion in Sunday's final. It was Alcaraz's second Grand Slam victory and his first at Wimbledon.
Alcaraz, 20 years old
The 20-year-old prodigy, who realized the historical significance of the victory, said: "It is something I will never forget. Yes, it was the happiest moment of my life. Maybe things will change in five years (smile). ”
Beating Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon Centre Court has been almost as impossible a challenge as beating Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros for the past decade. The seven-time champion and four-time defending champion Serb, who hasn't lost in a decade at Church Road Centre and faced Andy Murray in the final, fell on Sunday at his English Garden Stadium, where he is already unbeaten in 34 games. Matteo Berrettini in 2021 and Nick Kyrgios in 2022, both tried to compete with the Wimbledon king this year, snatching a set from him, but they failed to do so. And Alcaraz is a player of another level, certainly a giant. Djokovic, who played in a Grand Slam final for the 35th time, suffered a lightning-fast blow and had no complicated experience, losing five consecutive sets (1-6 7-6 6-1 3-6 6-4) and 4:42.
Spaniard Alcaraz
Alcaraz compatriot Rafael Nadal was just 20 years old when he first played in the Wimbledon final in 2006 against Roger Federer. After three defeats, he finally got rid of the owner of this place at the end of the 2008 legendary final. "Carlitos" only needs a final, remembering history in an equally legendary match. An explosion occurred at the tennis temple. It's a groundbreaking move, like Roger Federer's victory over six-time champion Pete Sampras in the Round of 16 in 2001. His genius, energy and recklessness stumbled over the undisputed master. Think of the current Murcian who did not reach the round of 16 in his first two games at Wimbledon...
Alcaraz became the third youngest champion of the London Open era after Boris Becker (17 and 18, 1985 and 1986) and Bjorn Borg (20 in 1976).
Djokovic embraces Alcaraz
After the match, Djokovic said about the turning point in the final: "I would say a tie-break in the second set. That's when my backhand let me down. I just had two bad backhands and lo and behold, the game was in his favor. Then, he raised his level greatly in the third set... I wasn't me for a while. I managed to pick myself up and regain the upper hand halfway through the fourth set, when I had a chance. It should also be emphasized that he showed his qualities as a defender and a fighter. I was thinking about the pass in the fifth set that broke his serve... ”
Regarding the digestion of this failure, Djokovic said: "It is obviously painful. After almost losing the semi-finals, I also won the epic final. Therefore, losing here may clarify the facts. All credit goes to Alcaraz. His performance in the big moments was incredible. ”
Regarding Alcaraz's composure, Djokovic said: "For someone his age (20 years old) to be able to control his nerves so well, play offensive tennis and finish like him, it's fantastic... I think I played well in the last game, but he played some incredible balls. So yes, congratulations to him and his team. I hope everyone enjoys this wonderful game. Now I have to move on. ”
Regarding Alcaraz's performance on grass, Djokovic said: "I am not surprised by his level on clay. His game suits clay courts and slower hard courts. On the other hand, his performance on the grass surprised me. Although he hasn't had many wins on grass in the last two years, this year he surprised everyone with how well he adapted to it. His cuts, his return, his performances in front of the net were impressive. He has proved beyond any doubt that he is the best player in the world. He has the ability to play great tennis on different courts and he deserves his current position. ”
Regarding future competition, Djokovic said: "I hope so. But he left the track for a while, and I don't know... We'll see. We only played three games. Three very close matches. Two of them this year came in the final rounds of the Grand Slam. I hope to play him again in the final of the US Open. That would be great. ”