The revolution is successful: Carlos Alcaraz stops Novak Djokovic’s triumphal march in Wimbledon.
Carlos Alcaraz did a small lap of honor first. Still shattered by his triumph, he almost shyly waved to the stands of the roaring Center Court in Wimbledon. When the 20-year-old Spaniard passed the Royal Box, his King Felipe VI clapped. with a smile contented applause for his subject, who is now the new ruler of the sacred turf at Wimbledon.
“I’m very proud that they were here, I hope they come more often,” Alcaraz said in his shaky victory speech, addressing Felipe directly. In a fascinating final, Alcaraz had previously ended Novak Djkovic’s reign at Wimbledon – 1: 6, 7: 6 (8: 6), 6: 1, 3: 6, 6: 4 after 4:42 hours against the 16th place Years older Djokovic, who had recently won four times in a row.
“So now I’m getting in trouble with you on grass,” Djokovic said to Alcaraz and confessed: “It’s hard to swallow.” At the same time, however, he praised his successor: “I lost to a better player.” And Alcaraz? Could hardly find words. “A dream has come true for me. It’s incredible for me, for a 20-year-old boy. I’m really very proud.”
Michael Stich, the 1991 Wimbledon winner, also watched from the Royal Box on Center Court as Alcaraz fought his way back into the match after a miserable first set and Djokovic slowly played weakly. The fifth game of the third set alone lasted 26 minutes (a record in Wimbledon), and he converted the first match point to thunderous cheers. His king also jumped up enthusiastically.
Only Boris Becker was younger than Alcaraz
Djokovic, who had not lost in Wimbledon for 34 matches and on Center Court since 2013, would have been the oldest Wimbledon winner of the Open era (since 1968). Alcaraz is now the youngest champion in the lawn Mecca since Boris Becker and the first since 2003 who is not named Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray or Djokovic. Apart from that, he remains number one in the world rankings.
This was initially not foreseeable. Djokovic stormed through the first set in 34 minutes against the nervous and impatient Alcaraz. He seemed to have everything under control and in the tie-break of the second set had the chance to win the second round as well. Two slight mistakes and a forehand from Alcaraz later, it was suddenly 1-1 after sets.
Djokovic disappears into the toilet for minutes
Remarkable: Djokovic had won all of his previous 15 tie-breaks at Grand Slams. And Alcaraz now smelled a rat, immediately got a break and another in the fascinating fifth game of the third set – with the 32nd point.
Djokovic wouldn’t be Djokovic if he hadn’t disappeared to the toilet for a few minutes and then fought back. But Alcaraz remained admirably cool. In the fifth set he managed a break to make it 2-1, Djokovic smashed his racket in anger.
Since Boris Becker, who was not yet 19 when he triumphed in 1985 and 1986, no Wimbledon winner has been younger than Alcaraz. He is only the fifth player alongside Becker, Mats Wilander, Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal to win at least two Grand Slams before his 21st birthday.