At Wimbledon,
Novak Djokovic’s faller in the Wimbledon final on Sunday, the prodigy Carlos Alcaraz surprised himself: “Before this match, I was not sure if I could beat him in five sets in an epic encounter. I also wasn’t sure I would stay very good physically and mentally for five hours against a legend. I will remember it now for the other tournaments.”
Forget the semi-final of the last Roland-Garros, lost against the Serb in four sets and his stress cramps contracted at the end of the second round. “I have grown a lot since this semi-final, he assures. I learned a lot from this game. I did things differently before the final, I prepared mentally a little differently. I managed to manage the pressure and my nerves better than at Roland-Garros. I never fell apart, I never gave up. The match was very long and I think it was my mind that allowed me to hold on”.
His arm never wavered in key moments: “To beat Novak at his best, to make history and to be the guy who dominated him after 10 years of unbeaten on this court, it’s incredible. Before this match, I didn’t think I would be able to wrestle almost five hours and beat a legend like him. I saw great tennis legends lift this trophy, epic matches and I always wanted to be one of them. But I did not expect to become so soon.
After a bad start, he was able to find the necessary resources to overthrow the master of the place. “The first set was complicated, but I felt I was playing well. I was close to breaking. In the second, I knew I would have my chances, I had to stay focused. If I hadn’t won the second set tie-break, I probably wouldn’t have lifted the trophy, I probably would have lost in three sets. Winning this second set proved to me that I was capable of beating Novak. But it is not easy to lose the fourth set against Djokovic and to think that you are embarking on a fifth against him. So without a doubt, this is the most difficult match I have won, ”he savors.
The prodigy fulfilled his dream, aware of the historic significance of his victory: “It’s something I will never forget. Yes, this is the happiest moment of my life. Maybe that will change in five years (smile).
