London: Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4) in the Wimbledon men’s final here Sunday to collect his fourth Grand Slam title at the age of 21.
It was a rematch of last year’s championship match on the grass of the All England Club, which Alcaraz won in five sets.
This one — played in front of a Centre Court crowd that included Kate, the Princess of Wales, in a rare public appearance since announcing she has cancer — was much easier for Alcaraz, at least until he stumbled while holding three match points as he served for the victory at 5-4 in the third set.
Still, Alcaraz regrouped and eventually picked up a second major trophy in a row after last month’s triumph on the clay at the French Open.
The Spaniard won his first Slam title at the 2022 U.S. Open as a teenager, and no man ever has collected more Slam hardware before turning 22 than he has.
He improved to 4-0 in major finals.
The 37-year-old Djokovic, wearing a gray sleeve on his surgically repaired right knee, was denied in his bid for an eighth Wimbledon title and record 25th major overall. He tore his meniscus at Roland Garros June 3 and had an operation in Paris two days later.
Less than six weeks later, Djokovic was hardly at his best Sunday — and Alcaraz certainly had something to do with that.
“Especially in the first couple of sets, the level of tennis wasn’t really up to par on my side,” said Djokovic, whose two children were in his guest box. “He had it all today. I tried to push him. … It wasn’t meant to be.”
Alcaraz was up 5-4, 40-love in the third set when the occasion got the better of him. He frittered away his first championship point with a double-fault, beginning a run of five mistakes by him that donated points — and that game — to Djokovic. There was a backhand that went awry. A forehand volley. A forehand. Another forehand. That was the only time all match that Djokovic broke Alcaraz.
Suddenly, it was 5-all. Suddenly, Alcaraz appeared rattled. Suddenly, Djokovic could hope.
But in the ensuing tiebreaker, Alcaraz earned his fourth match point and stayed cool as can be this time. Soon he was climbing through the stands to hug his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and others.
Just under 2 1/2 hours earlier, at the outset, the opening game appeared to portend an engrossing, back-and forth contest — and a long one, perhaps worrying some folks about getting to a pub or a couch in time to see England face Spain in the men’s soccer European Championship final in Germany Sunday night. Alcaraz, of course, had a rooting interest.
All told, that game consisted of seven deuces and 20 points across a hair shy of 14 minutes, containing brilliant moments by both men. Sprinting, sliding, stretching defense by Djokovic. Return winners by Alcaraz. When he slapped a strong reply to a 125 mph (202 kph) serve and drew a wide forehand from Djokovic, Alcaraz cashed in his fifth break chance.
That, it turned out, was the most competitive portion of the proceedings until the third set.
Not to say there weren’t hints of brilliance the rest of the way. Just the outcome never really seemed in dispute.
Djokovic double-faulted to hand over a two-break, 5-1 lead in the first set. He put a volley into the net to fall behind by a break to begin the second, then double-faulted to end that one.
This was not the body-contorting, get-to-everything Djokovic everyone is accustomed to seeing, mind you. There’s his age, first of all, and the matter of his knee, which raised serious questions about whether it would be possible to even participate at Wimbledon.
By his account, Djokovic felt free of pain and able to move with his usual verve by only his third or fourth match of the fortnight. On this partly cloudy afternoon, with the temperature at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 Celsius), Djokovic occasionally hopped awkwardly when he landed after serving or stepped gingerly — as if barefoot on a beach’s hot sand — between points or watched some of Alcaraz’s big groundstrokes fly past without giving chase.
Djokovic missed volleys he usually makes and won just 27 of 53 points when he went forward.
After netting a volley to close one early 11-stroke exchange, Djokovic sighed and walked to his sideline seat to grab a purple-and-green towel for dabbing at sweat. His facial expression was giving: “Come on, Carlitos, pick on someone your own age.”
Alcaraz was outstanding in pretty much every way, from the basic to the sorts of shots no one else would even try, much less pull off. Once, he leaped and wrapped his racket all the way around his back to get the ball over the net, although Djokovic did put an overhead away to get that point. Alcaraz ran wide of the doubles alley for forehand winners. Claimed points via drop shots. Smacked serves at up to 136 mph (219 kph). Accumulated 14 break points, converting five, while facing just three, despite going up against Djokovic, considered many the greatest returner there’s been.
What can’t Alcaraz do?
Two days before the final, Djokovic paid Alcaraz quite a compliment, saying: “I see a lot of similarities between me and him, in terms of ability to adapt and adjust to the surface. That’s probably his biggest trait. … He’s got skills to play equally well on any surface and to adapt to a given opponent that particular day.
AP
