At Wimbledon,
Defeating Novak Djokovic on the Center Court at Wimbledon for the past ten years has been almost as impossible a challenge as beating Rafael Nadal on the Philippe Chatrier at Roland-Garros. Seven-time winner, four-time defending champion, the Serb, who had not lost on Church Road center court for just ten years and a final against Andy Murray, however fell on Sunday in his English garden, where he had been undefeated for 34 matches and his retirement in the quarter-finals of the 2017 edition. Matteo Berrettini in 2021 and Nick Kyrgios in 2022, had tried to compete with the boss of the place this year, by snatching a set from him, but their inexperience had played against them. rounds. But the Alcaraz phenomenon is a player of another caliber. A giant for sure. The Serb, who was playing his 35th final in a Grand Slam tournament on Sunday (an absolute record for men and women alike) suffered the lightning of a boy, without complex. Victory in five sets (1-6 7-6 6-1 3-6 6-4) and 4:42.
For his first at this stage of the competition in the Temple of Tennis, the world number 1 had the maturity of a champion aged 10 years older, accustomed to final games, he who was only playing his second Grand Slam final. after his coronation at the US Open 2022. Forgotten the semi-final of the last Roland-Garros, lost against Djokovic in four sets and his stress cramps contracted at the end of the second set.
Alcaraz compatriot Rafael Nadal was 20 years old when he played his first Wimbledon final in 2006 against Roger Federer. After three failures, he had finally unbolted the owner of the place, at the end of the legendary final of 2008. “Carlitos” just needed a final to mark history during an equally legendary meeting. An explosion in the Temple of Tennis. A founding act, like Roger Federer’s victory in the round of 16 against six-time winner Pete Sampras in 2001. It took his genius, his energy, his recklessness to trip up the undisputed master of the place. And to think that the Murcian had not passed the round of 16 at Wimbledon in his first two appearances…
Alcaraz becomes the third youngest winner in London in the Open era after Boris Becker (17 and 18 and 1985 and 1986) and Björn Borg (20 in 1976). Winner of Queen’s, a week before the big London meeting, he had proven that he could also have a green foot. After a start to the tournament, upset in the third round and giving up a set to Nicolas Jarry, he gained momentum by stopping a Matteo Berrettini in full revival (finalist in 2021) during the round of 16, also in four rounds, then the tornado Spaniard won in three acts Holger Rune, youth rival, in the quarter then Daniil Medvedev, in half, before his final masterpiece.
Amortized, lob, tweener… The final went off at top speed and the show was there. Not the suspense. Novak Djokovic erased an entry break point, then snatched the service of his young opponent in stride, guilty of three unforced errors in the forehand. Aggressive in the recovery, solid in the service, he stifled his young opponent. Led 5-0, the latter, under the ovations of the public, opened his game counter with a sublime passing forehand winner along the line. But the boss concluded the first act 6-1 in 34 minutes. Ruthless.
The quadruple defending champion doubted for a few minutes, the time for a break that the Spaniard could not confirm at the start of the second set. Not enough to discourage the kid from Murcia, who got an unconverted break point in the fifth game and continued to attack his opponent. Magnificent points followed in a second act at a stratospheric level of play. Neck and neck, the two finalists had to decide in a decisive game, an exercise in which the Serb has become a master. But an amazing Alcaraz upset the forecasts by erasing a set point and equalizing a set everywhere with a fabulous winning return, ending the fabulous series of 13 tie-breaks won consecutively by the “Djoker” this season (7 -6).
More offensive, the prodigy took things in hand with 17 winning shots against only 9 for the Serb. On his way, the world number one seized the Serbian’s service at the start of the third set, in difficulty on his face-offs and lacking a bit of edge. Quite the opposite of the Spaniard who made the double break on his sixth opportunity after a long and unbreathable game of 26 minutes! The master of the place folded and broke 6-1 in this third act, conceding his service a third time. Back to the wall, the four-time defending champion was scared again in the third game of the fourth set, dismissing two new break points.
But Djokovic is not the Grand Slam title record holder for nothing. Although suffering from the missiles of his opponent, he seized the service of Alcaraz in the fifth game of the fourth set. The winner of the US Open 2022 in turn suffered a slight less good service (69% of first serves only) in an arm wrestling still as intense. Stronger, the favorite gave himself the right to play a fifth round. And the best was yet to come in this duel of anthology.
The Serb sealed the point when he saved a break point in the opening game of the final act. He smashed his racket in rage against the net post when he had to give up his serve two plays later. Alcaraz landing a forehand shot of which he has the secret. Not far from cracking, the Serb knew how to keep his calm to stay in contact. But the young Spaniard, more lucid than ever, and impervious to pressure, knew how to keep his break, pushed more than ever by an enthusiastic public, very happy to have attended one of the greatest finals in history. .
