LONDON (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz was prepared from the get-go this time. A yr in the past within the Wimbledon last towards Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz received off to a gradual begin, dropped the opening set and wanted 5 to say his first championship on the All England Membership.
Sunday’s rematch started with a sport that felt monumental: 20 factors throughout almost quarter-hour, portending an engrossing, back-and forth contest — and a protracted one. There have been moments of brilliance from each males. Alcaraz, although, was higher. Simply as he could be for almost the entire subsequent two hours.
Alcaraz discovered from 2023 and utilized these classes to 2024, including as much as a 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4) victory over Djokovic for a second consecutive Wimbledon championship and fourth Grand Slam title in all. And to suppose: He’s nonetheless simply 21.
“On the finish of my profession, I wish to sit on the identical desk as the large guys,” mentioned Alcaraz, who gained the French Open final month and, after receiving Wimbledon’s gold trophy from Kate, the Princes of Wales, is now simply the sixth man to triumph on the crimson clay at Roland Garros and the grass on the All England Membership in the identical season. “That’s my important objective. That’s my dream proper now.”
Alcaraz improved to 4-0 in main finals, together with on the 2022 U.S. Open; solely Roger Federer received off to a greater begin to a profession amongst males, going 7-0.
“He simply was higher than me in each side of the sport,” mentioned the 37-year-old Djokovic, who had knee surgical procedure lower than 1 1/2 months in the past but hoped to tie Federer’s males’s document of eight Wimbledon titles and turn out to be the primary participant in tennis historical past to win 25 Grand Slam tournaments. “In motion, in the way in which he was simply hanging the ball fantastically, serving nice. Every thing.”
For Alcaraz, there was one temporary blip, a five-point stretch that took him from the verge of victory to shut to a collapse. It occurred when he was some extent from the championship whereas serving at 5-4, 40-love. However he double-faulted. Then missed a backhand. Then a volley. Then a forehand. And one other forehand. Abruptly, it was 5-all. Abruptly, Alcaraz appeared rattled. Abruptly, Djokovic may hope.
Abruptly, there was intrigue.
However solely briefly. Alcaraz regrouped, received to the tiebreaker, then closed issues out.
Final yr, Djokovic recalled, “We went toe to toe.”
“This yr,” he continued, “it was nothing like that. It was all about him. He was the dominant drive on the court docket and deserved to win.”
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain performs a backhand return to Novak Djokovic of Serbia through the males’s singles last on the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Picture/Mosa’ab Elshamy)
Sporting a grey sleeve on his knee, Djokovic was hardly at his greatest on a cloudy afternoon at Centre Courtroom — and there’s little question Alcaraz was an enormous a part of the issue.
The very first sport, it turned out, was probably the most aggressive portion of the proceedings till the third set.
To not say there weren’t hints of pleasure the remainder of the way in which. It’s extra that the end result by no means actually appeared in dispute.
“The primary sport was unbelievable. One of many longest first video games I’ve ever performed,” Djokovic mentioned. “That set the tone. He was popping out from the blocks able to battle and able to play his greatest degree instantly, which wasn’t the case final yr.”
Novak Djokovic of Serbia performs a backhand return to Carlos Alcaraz of Spain through the males’s singles last on the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Picture/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Djokovic double-faulted handy over a 5-1 lead within the first set. He put a volley into the web to fall behind by a break to start the second, then double-faulted to finish that one. Lastly, within the third, Djokovic perked up a bit, registering his solely break of serve all day, as spectators chanted his two-syllable nickname — “No-le! No-le!” — whereas others replied with choruses of “Let’s go, Carlos! Let’s go!”
Nonetheless, this was not the body-contorting, get-to-everything Djokovic everyone seems to be accustomed to seeing, which is smart contemplating there have been severe questions on whether or not it could be potential to even take part at Wimbledon.
Towards Alcaraz, Djokovic often hopped awkwardly when he landed after serving or stepped gingerly — as if barefoot on a seaside’s scorching sand — between factors. Lacking volleys he normally makes, Djokovic gained simply 27 of 53 factors when he went to the web. After netting a volley to shut one early 11-stroke change, Djokovic sighed and walked to his sideline seat to seize a purple-and-green towel for dabbing at sweat. His facial features was saying: “Come on, Carlitos, decide on somebody your personal age.”
Alcaraz was excellent in just about each approach, from the essential to the types of pictures nobody else would even strive. As soon as, he leaped and wrapped his racket all the way in which round his again to get the ball over the web, though Djokovic did put an overhead away to get that time. Alcaraz ran broad of the doubles alley for forehand winners. Claimed factors through drop pictures. Smacked serves at as much as 136 mph (219 kph). Accrued 14 break factors, changing 5, and confronted simply three.
What can’t Alcaraz do?
Carlos Alcaraz, left, of Spain is congratulated by Novak Djokovic of Serbia after successful the lads’s singles last on the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Picture/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Two days earlier than the ultimate, Djokovic paid Alcaraz fairly a praise, saying: “I see quite a lot of similarities between me and him.”
So true. And bear in mind: Alcaraz is simply getting began.
“I need,” Alcaraz mentioned, “to maintain going.”
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
