July 16, 2023 will be a milestone in the history of Spanish sport and tennis. This is what the press, sports or generalist, unanimously predicted after Carlos Alcaraz’s victory on Sunday in the Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic (1-6, 7-6 [8-6], 6- 1, 3-6, 6-4), yet master of the place. Many media have bathed in puns in reference to Juan Carlos 1st, king of Spain from 1975 to 2014.
“King Carlos”, headlines the French daily L’Équipe. “King Carlitos”, allows the Madrid newspaper AS the day after an “epic final”. “May God save the new king”, prays Marca, witnessing the “beginning of an exciting era”. Le Figaro also titles on “King Alcaraz who dethrones Djokovic”.
The best front pages, however, are perhaps to be found in the Catalan press. “Sir Carlos”, ennobles Mundo Deportivo, with Alcaraz lying on the London lawn. “Bestial”, qualifies Sport. To realize what the Alcaraz shock wave is, 20 years old, you have to leaf through the pages of the general press. “Alcaraz, perfect future”, conjugates ABC. “Alcaraz dethrones Djokovic”, congratulates El Pais. “Wimbledon ushers in the Alcaraz era,” noted El Mundo, which saw “an unforgettable battle of generational change.”
In England too, we are dithyrambic. “Lawn of a new era”, has fun the Daily Express, with a play on words between “dawn” (“dawn”) and “lawn” (“grass”). Even the Times and the Guardian devote a front-page photo to Alcaraz, “the new king of center court”, crowns The Independent. Finally, Italy also applauds “Carlos 1st of England”, bows Tuttosport. For Corriere dello Sport, it is now “AlcaRe”, “re” meaning “king” in Italian.
