A Dominant Performance by Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz powered to victory over an out-of-sorts Novak Djokovic to retain his men’s singles title at Wimbledon. Although the match featured the same players as last year’s final, it failed to live up to the five-set thriller of 12 months ago as Djokovic appeared mostly helpless against the dominant Spaniard.
Despite squandering three championship points when trying to serve out a rapid victory, Alcaraz found focus again and held his arms aloft after battling through the third-set tie-break for a 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) win.
A Dream Come True
“Honestly, it is a dream for me winning this trophy,” said Alcaraz, who was presented with the trophy by the Princess of Wales. “I did an interview when I was 11 and I said my dream is to win Wimbledon.”
Gracious in defeat, Djokovic shared a smile and warm embrace with Alcaraz at the net after his comprehensive loss. For a second straight year, Djokovic was attempting to equal Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon men’s titles and move ahead of Margaret Court to take sole ownership of the all-time record for the most Grand Slam singles titles.
Celebrations and Records
As modern tradition dictates, Carlos Alcaraz climbed up to the players’ box and was leapt upon by his team and family, celebrating a 14th consecutive match win at Wimbledon. The result continues the four-time major winner’s 100% record in Grand Slam finals, while he becomes the youngest man to win at Wimbledon and the French Open in the same year.
Later on Sunday evening, Carlos Alcaraz celebrated Spain’s Euro 2024 final victory over England, making it a perfect day for him and his country.
An All-Round Perfect Performance
Alcaraz had looked far from convincing for the majority of this year’s Championships – winning in straight sets just twice before the final. He had to show resilience to wrestle his way through matches, fighting back against Daniil Medvedev, Tommy Paul, and Frances Tiafoe to sustain his title defense.
And in Sunday’s final, Carlos Alcaraz showed he was saving his best tennis for the last, all-important moment. Former British number one Tim Henman called it an “annihilation,” while 1987 Wimbledon winner Pat Cash described it as a “perfect performance.”
Djokovic’s Struggles
When it was revealed that Djokovic had undergone surgery on June 5 for a medial meniscus tear in his right knee, it was not just his title chances that were thrown into doubt. However, if it was not for the support on his knee, it would have been almost impossible to tell Djokovic had suffered a serious injury.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion had resumed his usual brand of dominant, consistent tennis and dropped just two sets in six matches. But the level suddenly dropped on Sunday, and Djokovic’s game looked unrecognizable with failed attempts to come to the net and handfuls of unforced errors.
Looking Forward
Djokovic acknowledged his opponent’s superior performance, stating, “Credit to Carlos for playing elite tennis, especially from the back of the court. He had it all today.” Despite his disappointment, Djokovic expressed determination to continue his pursuit of a record 25th major title.
“It obviously was not the result I wanted, but of course in the first couple of sets the level of tennis wasn’t up to par from my side,” Djokovic said. “It wasn’t meant to be. I tried to extend the match, but he was an absolute deserved winner today so congratulations for him.”
