Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz has won the Wimbledon tennis tournament for the first time. In a partly high-class final he defeated Novak Djokovic in five sets.
The king is dead, long live the king: Carlos Alcaraz ended Novak Djokovic’s years of rule on the “sacred turf” of Wimbledon completed. The Spanish monarch Felipe VI. as well as Princess Kate and Prince William with their children George and Charlotte were eyewitnesses when the 20-year-old challenger fell 1: 6, 7: 6 (8: 6), 6: 1, 3: 6, 6: 4 prevailed against the 16-year-old Serb.
“It’s a dream come true for me”said the visibly moved Alcaraz: “Even if I had lost I could have been proud of myself. For me it’s incredible for a 20-year-old boy to win against this legend. I’m really very proud.” Djokovic inspired him a lot: “I was a little boy and I watched you.” Djokovic took the defeat calmly and even with a bit of humor. “I thought I would have problems with you on clay or hard court, but not on grass”he said at the award ceremony to his 16-year-old conqueror, to whom he gave a “Extraordinary, very, very strong performance” certified. He has “didn’t win today but lost to a better player”.
Bad first sentence
Alcaraz fought his way back into the match after a miserable first set and slowly played Djokovic weak. After 4:42 hours, of which the fifth game of the third set alone lasted 26 minutes (record in Wimbledon), he converted the first match point to thunderous cheers. His king also jumped up enthusiastically.
The seemingly invincible is defeated
Djokovic, who has played 34 matches at Wimbledon and on the Center Court had not lost since 2013, the oldest Wimbledon winner would be 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 called Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray or Djokovic. Apart from that, he remains number one in the world rankings.
Carlos Alcaraz on the ground after the match point
Alcaraz initially nervous and impatient
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, answering in the second set Break with a rebreak and owned in tiebreak the chance to get the second round as well. Two slight mistakes and a forehand from Alcaraz later, it was suddenly 1-1 after sets.
Remarkable: Djokovic had won all of his previous 15 tie-breaks at Grand Slams. No less striking: the audience no longer made any secret of their sympathy for Alcaraz. And he smelled a fuse, immediately got a break and another in the fascinating fifth game of the third set – with the 32nd point.
Djokovic eaten
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, even after losing the hard-fought fourth set. In the fifth 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, Björn Borg and Rafael Nadal to have at least two before his 21st birthday Grand Slams and the winner is.