You see him playing chess, the crafty old master. Point by point, game by game, Novak Djokovic fights back. He has faced hotter fires than this 2-1 deficit in sets. He overcame match points in the 2019 final. He can come back from difficult situations like no other. But now he finds a young man in front of him who is so complete, so tenacious, that sometimes even Djokovic can’t remember.
One minute before 2 p.m. local time, Carlos Alcaraz sees his opponent walking towards him, in the space behind the center court where the players gather for the final. Short nod from the Serb. Ten years ago, Djokovic lost for the last time in this stadium – he booked 45 consecutive victories here until Sunday.
A seven-time Wimbledon winner, he leads the way through the stadium corridors and onto the track – Alcaraz must follow him in his first final here in South West London. “As if he wants to say: I will guide you,” analyzes BBC commentator and former professional Todd Woodbridge.
Spain’s King Felipe is in the Royal Box, to see perhaps a third Spaniard win Wimbledon, after Manuel Santana (1966) and Rafael Nadal (2008 and 2010). Alcaraz prefers to go through life with a smile, he often says, but he feels the pressure now, says his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero shortly before the final.
You can see the desperation creeping in from the body language and blows of Alcaraz. He looks around a bit lost, restless. This is what Djokovic’s horrific dominance can do to you. He neutralizes the danger, draws the energy away from the Spaniard. Djokovic retrieves balls that would have already scored the point for everyone else, sprinting from line to line. 6-1 after 34 minutes.
Formidable tennis
It is, in advance, the finale that has it all. They are fifteen years and 348 days apart, Alcaraz (20) and Djokovic (36). Where Alcaraz is eager to take over the hegemony in men’s tennis, Djokovic plays for the history books. For the records, although he already owns many of them. He can level with Australian Margaret Court’s 24 grand slams. And he can match Roger Federer’s eight Wimbledon titles.
After 48 minutes Alcaraz seems to really participate for the first time, when he breaks at the beginning of the second set. It is formidable tennis, both of them, with blood-curdling rallies of up to thirty strokes. The variation, the tempo changes, the precision, the footwork. Switching from defender to attacker and vice versa. A diving from Djokovic here, a mighty forehand from Alcaraz there. To enjoy.
“He’s the most refreshing thing I’ve seen in tennis in a decade,” said BBC analyst and three-time Wimbledon winner John McEnroe before the final. Alcaraz grew up with the big three: Djokovic, Nadal, Federer. He has the best of those three: Djokovic’s smarts, speed and athleticism, Nadal’s fighting spirit and topspin, Federer’s slice backhand and dexterous net play. That makes him the most serious successor of that generation. Although Djokovic said earlier in the week after the quarterfinals against the Russian Andrey Rublev about the new generation that challenges him: “I know they want a scalp, they want to win, but it ain’t happening.”
In September, Alcaraz became the youngest number one in the world at 19 after winning the US Open, his first grand slam title. But in the hunt for his second major, Alcaraz, also the current number 1, is in trouble. Set point Djokovic in the tiebreak, for a 2-0 lead. But due to two rare backhand misses from Djokovic, Alcaraz dragged out the set. The center court springs up, Alcaraz turns half a pirouette, one hand behind his right ear, as if he wants to emphasize the set win even more.
It’s intense, brilliant tennis in stages. Sensitive drop shots, patient baseline rallies, interspersed with beautiful offensive tennis, mainly from Alcaraz. Against Djokovic, who is insatiable at the age of 36, who knows like no other that his chances are yet to come, he lurks at the moments when Alcaraz loses concentration.
26 minute game
It is capital service loss from Djokovic. Thirteen times deuce, 26 minutes and a total of 31 points comprises that fifth game in the third set. At Alcaraz’s seventh break point it hits the mark when a forehand from Djokovic ends up in the net. Alcaraz cries out, a double break lead, this set can no longer escape him. 6-1 it will be. He has completely turned it around, now leading 2-1 in sets.
Alcaraz’s winning rush seems to be broken by a visit to the toilet by Djokovic after losing that set. He’s gone for nearly seven minutes. Alcaraz immediately loses the first two points on its own service after the interruption, and will eventually also lose the set against Djokovic, who has revived from nowhere.
It’s the point of the game. Beginning of the fifth set, break point Djokovic. Alcaraz’s defense is unprecedented, Djokovic pushes him deep into the corner, the break is almost certain, after four hours and ten minutes of tennis. But Alcaraz still manages to get the ball, after which Djokovic hits the ball into the net. Audience on the benches, the energy all the way back at Alcaraz.
Djokovic smashes his racket against the net post, right in front of the umpire, when Alcaraz breaks it shortly afterwards. He gets a warning. Alcaraz blows his cheeks full. Keep calm now, he seems to realise. A frenzied run precedes it, with Djokovic falling, getting up and resuming the rally as if nothing had happened – but Alcaraz strikes with a backhand winner.
If Alcaraz can serve out moments later, he completes as in the best days of Pete Sampras and Federer. He finishes it on his first match point, after almost five hours (1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6 and 6-4). Djokovic hugs him at the net. The assumption of power by a great talent is perfect.
A version of this article also appeared in the newspaper on July 17, 2023.