To be the best, you have to beat the best. And on Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz took the cliché to heart with an epic five-set victory over Novak Djokovic to win the first Wimbledon title of his career.
Djokovic got off to a good start with a 6-1 win in the first set, but it was all Alcaraz from there. The match included a grueling second set tiebreaker which the Spaniard would go on to win. He broke Djokovic’s streak of 15 consecutive tiebreakers won at Grand Slams.
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Carlos Alcaraz celebrates his victory over Novak Djokovic during the men’s singles final on day 14 of Wimbledon in London, Sunday, July 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
It was a battle from there.
Djokovic won the fourth set 6-3 and seemed to be gaining momentum to come from behind to defeat Alcaraz, but the unforced errors coupled with the speed of the rising tennis star seemed to be too much for Djokovic.
As Alcaraz made it 3-1, Djokovic was so frustrated that he smashed his racket into the net post. Djokovic would make it a game, reducing his deficit. But Alcaraz’s creativity with his drop shots and lobs would prove too much for Djokovic and he clinched victory in the final set, 6-4.
Carlos Alcaraz returns to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon in London, on Sunday, July 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
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Alcaraz got the better of Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev in the matches before facing Djokovic. Last year, he made it to the fourth round before being ousted by Jannik Sinner. In 2021, he was knocked out in the second round against Medvedev. Alcaraz was just a wild card pick at the time.
He won his first Grand Slam title last year at the US Open. He bested Casper Ruud in sets and officially announced his presence on the men’s tour. He’s already homered at the Indian Wells Masters and Madrid Open and made a semifinal appearance at the French Open.
Novak Djokovic gestures to the crowd after winning a match against Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon in London, Sunday, July 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Djokovic was seeking the eighth Wimbledon title of his career and 24th overall. He had already won the Australian Open and the French Open.
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With a victory over Djokovic, Alcaraz is now firmly positioned as one of the players who will lead the next generation of stars after Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all retire.