WIMBLEDON, England — For years, many in males’s tennis questioned who might exchange the Large Three of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal atop the game as soon as they inevitably retire. Collectively, they’ve collectively dominated on and off the courtroom, with 66 main titles and celebrity personas.
With such massive footwear to fill, it appeared unlikely to suppose anybody can be up for such a problem. Not less than not but.
However on Sunday, simply weeks after profitable the trophy on the French Open, 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz proved but once more he was the person for the job, as he defeated Djokovic for the second straight yr within the Wimbledon last. And whereas the 2023 last had been a traditional, lasting practically 5 hours as the 2 traded highlight-reel-worthy factors and momentum, the 2024 version was a comparatively simple affair, with Alcaraz asserting his dominance from the very first recreation and by no means letting up. By the tip of the 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4) match that lasted simply two hours and 27 minutes, Alcaraz had secured the fourth main title of his profession in entrance of an adoring Centre Court docket crowd.
After holding off Djokovic in a last-ditch tiebreak and profitable the match on his fourth championship level, Alcaraz held his arms up in celebration because the followers jumped to their toes. In a stadium which contained precise royalty within the stands, it appeared to be a coronation for Alcaraz as tennis’ subsequent king.
Even Djokovic, the 24-time main champion, who insisted he had no plans to retire anytime quickly, referred to as Alcaraz, “the perfect participant of the event for sure,” in the course of the information convention Sunday.
With the victory, Alcaraz is now the third-youngest man within the Open period to win 4 Grand Slam singles titles, trailing solely Mats Wilander and Bjorn Borg. His 4-0 report strikes him behind solely Federer (7-0) as the perfect report amongst males of their first main finals, and he joins the Large Three in addition to Borg and Rod Laver as the one males to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the identical season.
Amongst energetic male gamers, Alcaraz trails simply Djokovic (24) and Nadal (22) for essentially the most main singles titles, and he’s now forward of Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka (every with three). And Sunday’s triumph appeared to suggest extra than simply one other trophy for Alcaraz to these watching.
“Love Djokovic,” tweeted Nick Kyrgios, the injured former world No. 13 who misplaced to Djokovic within the 2022 Wimbledon last. “However is that this possibly the primary time we are able to say the ‘altering of the guard?!?!'”
THIS WIMBLEDON VICTORY confirmed simply how far Alcaraz has are available in his quick profession and over the previous yr.
Profitable titles was anticipated of the Spanish star as quickly as he arrived on the scene, and solely intensified after his quarterfinal run on the 2021 US Open in his most important draw debut on the event. However how quickly he has carried out it, and the best way he has carried out it, is outstanding.
Alcaraz received his first Grand Slam title on the 2022 US Open, a yr after his spectacular debut, with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3 victory over Casper Ruud within the last. He claimed the world No. 1 rating for the primary time.
Many first-time main champions have spoken in regards to the stress that comes with such a title, and it briefly appeared as if Alcaraz may be falling prey to the identical expectations. He needed to withdraw from the 2023 Australian Open as a result of a hamstring damage, then suffered debilitating cramping in a much-hyped semifinal towards Djokovic on the French Open. He later blamed it on nerves.
So when Alcaraz was set to play towards Djokovic within the Wimbledon last simply weeks later, he was broadly thought of the underdog getting into the match. He had received his first grass title at Queen’s Membership throughout his lone lead-in event, however Wimbledon marked simply the fourth event of his profession on the tough floor. And Djokovic was, effectively, Djokovic, a seven-time champion on the occasion and the winner of the final 4 titles. Few thought anybody was able to beating him on the All England Membership, not to mention a 20-year-old with so little expertise on grass.
However even after dropping the primary set 6-1, Alcaraz was not deterred. As a substitute, he refocused and appeared to embrace the second. He discovered his forehand and have become more and more extra aggressive. His confidence appeared to develop with each level, as did the loud adoration from the group. Whereas Djokovic did not disappear, the match was not between a legend and an up-and-coming prodigy. As a substitute it was two equals preventing for a similar Wimbledon crown. Alcaraz received the second-set tiebreak and went on to win the match 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
Whereas Jannik Sinner, at the moment the world No. 1 and reigning Australian Open champion, has additionally separated himself from the remainder of the Gen Z pack within the ATP, Alcaraz has stood alone this spring and summer season when the stakes had been highest. On the French Open, Alcaraz defeated a string of high gamers, together with 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas and Sinner, en path to the ultimate, then got here again towards Alexander Zverev in 5 units within the last.
Whereas he was unable to defend his title at Queen’s Membership, Alcaraz was as spectacular at Wimbledon as he was at Roland Garros. Regardless of dropping the primary set in three of his matches, Alcaraz constantly raised his stage, discovering methods to come back again and win. Within the semifinals towards Daniil Medvedev, he misplaced the primary set in a tiebreak earlier than profitable the subsequent three units. When requested how Alcaraz in comparison with the Large Three after the match, Medvedev mentioned he had by no means confronted Djokovic, Federer or Nadal after they had been underneath 30, however he nonetheless acknowledged simply how good Alcaraz already was.
“Carlos, I do not suppose he has something [like] them,” Medvedev mentioned. “It is a totally different recreation model. I feel the place Carlos is totally different from many gamers: All of us have our preferences, somebody prefers protection, somebody prefers counterattack, somebody prefers to be tremendous aggressive. He can do all of it … In all probability in my profession he is [the] hardest opponent I’ve confronted.”
In opposition to Djokovic, Alcaraz was centered from the beginning. In a 13-minute recreation to open the match, Alcaraz transformed on his fifth break level to take the early lead — and by no means eased up. Even when Djokovic responded within the third set and staved off three championship factors, Alcaraz nonetheless discovered a approach to shut out the match in a tiebreak quickly after.
His victory appeared to place him in a class he hadn’t beforehand been thought of in.
“Carlos Alcaraz’s conquer an important champion like Novak Djokovic is a testomony to his unbelievable expertise, dedication and composure underneath stress,” Laver, a former world No. 1 and four-time Wimbledon champion, tweeted after watching the match from the royal field. “Carlos has cemented his place among the many tennis greats together with his sensible efficiency immediately.”
Rennae Stubbs, former participant and present ESPN analyst, weighed in as effectively. “Wow [Alcaraz] is one particular younger expertise! I by no means thought I’d see a participant as nice as Novak, Rafa & Roger however there isn’t any doubt in my thoughts this child truly would possibly get to twenty as effectively. Simply phenomenal!”
Regardless of at the moment holding the 2 most up-to-date main titles, Alcaraz will stay at No. 3 within the rankings, behind Sinner and Djokovic, however he did not appear involved about that, nor about any of the information or statistics he retains being reminded of. As a substitute Alcaraz, who will subsequent play on the Olympic Video games in singles and in doubles alongside Nadal, mentioned he simply desires to concentrate on the large image.
“Clearly it is a actually nice begin of my profession, however I’ve to maintain going,” Alcaraz mentioned Sunday evening. “I’ve to maintain constructing my path. On the finish of my profession, I need to sit on the identical desk as the large guys. That is my most important objective. That is my dream proper now.
“It does not matter if I already received 4 Grand Slams on the age of 21. If I am not [able to] maintain going, all these tournaments for me, it does not matter. I actually need to maintain going. I’ll attempt to maintain profitable and finish my profession with quite a lot of them.”