Sublime Alcaraz dismantles Djokovic to successfully defend Wimbledon crown
The Spaniard defeated Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4) to win his second Wimbledon title with an extraordinary performance
Carlos Alcaraz wins Wimbledon 2024 © Alberto Pezzali/AP/SIPA
Carlos Alcaraz earned a simply stunning victory over 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, defeating the world No 2 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4) to recapture his Wimbledon title in breathtaking fashion.
It is difficult to overstate just what a monumentally spectacular performance this was from the 21-year-old man from Murcia. This match may very well serve as a definitive milestone in what has been a compelling and drawn-out generational passing of the torch over the past two years.
While Alcaraz announced his arrival at the top of men’s tennis with his epic five-set victory over the Serb in last year’s final, there was little sense that Djokovic had truly been deposed as tennis’ leading man. Indeed, later that summer he went unbeaten across the US hard-court swing, avenging his Wimbledon defeat to Alcaraz with a superb three-set victory in Cincinnati before clinching his record 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open.
But today was a demolition. At least, that was the case across the opening two sets. From the Spaniard’s net play, to his one-two punch and frightening power off each wing, Alcaraz was sublime. Simply put, there is no player who could have come close to him today. Not even one of the greatest of all time.
rampant alcaraz dominates opening two sets before late twist in the tale
It took only one game for Alcaraz to make his first move, breaking on his sixth break point after a 15-minute opening game. It was surely far too early to contemplate a straight-sets win for the Spaniard, and yet the barrage of sheer quality never relented.
With Djokovic beginning to look unsettled at the quality coming at him from across the net, Alcaraz broke again in the fifth game before saving break point in the next to maintain a firm grip on the opening stanza. A couple of games later and he comfortably served out a 6-2 first-set win.
The arrival of a new set only saw a continuation of the first. The Spaniard broke in the opening game of the second set and then again in the seventh as the Serb surrendered serve with an untimely double-fault.
From unsettled in the first to rattled in the second, Djokovic simply had no answers to Alcaraz’s supreme level as the Spaniard served out a two-set lead to leave the Centre Court crowd somewhat stunned.
There was a glimmer of hope for the Serb in the second game of the third set as he navigated his way to 0-30 for the first time in the match on the Alcaraz serve. But the Spaniard snuffed out the danger as quickly as it had arisen in superb fashion.
Alcaraz then reapplied the pressure in the very next game, as Djokovic staved off four break points with a gritty hold much more akin to his usual indomitable spirit. He remained just about in touch.
Yet Alcaraz pounced in the ninth game to earn a break that looked to have all but sealed his second Wimbledon crown. But there was a late twist in the tale.
As the world No 3 stepped to the line to serve for the title, Djokovic did what he’s done time and again, pulling off an act of extraordinary escapism to keep his slim hopes alive. From 0-40 and triple championship-point down, Djokovic saved all three en route to earning his first break of the match to gain parity right at the death.
But the perennial comeback king is never finished until match point is converted. For that reason, many inside Centre Court feared the worst for Alcaraz while Djokovic and his camp sensed yet another phenomenal fightback was on the cards.
Alcaraz had to rely on an iron-clad mental fortitude to ensure the door remained closed against the seven-time Wimbledon champion in the resulting tiebreak.
After a tense opening exchange of points, the Spaniard was able to accelerate away from his opponent as the finish line came into sight once again, pulling away at 5-4 to reach championship point for the fourth time in the contest.
This time, Alcaraz converted, sending down an unreturned serve for a momentous win, clinching his fourth Grand Slam title to become the third-youngest player to win back-to-back Wimbledon titles.
alcaraz keeps records tumbling with second wimbledon title
Djokovic was typically gracious in defeat, but there is little hiding from the seismic nature of such a one-sided defeat. More so than the result, it is Alcaraz’s rampant dominance that will sting.
“I have to be very proud,” Djokovic said in his runner-up speech.
“Obviously there’s a little disappointment right now as we’re talking ten minutes after the match finished, but when I reflect I’m sure the last four, five weeks and really what I’ve been through along with my team and family, I have to say I’m very satisfied.
“It wasn’t meant to be, I tried to extend the match, but he was an absolute deserved winner today so congratulations for him.
“Because Wimbledon was always a childhood dream of mine and to be here on the centre stage – I try to remind myself how serene it is to be here, every single time I step on this court it feels like the first time so I’m a child, living my childhood dream so once again, thank you.”
Alcaraz, now well-versed in these Grand Slam winner’s speeches, was similarly magnanimous in victory.
“I don’t consider myself a champion yet, not like them, I just try to keep going and continue my path, my journey,” he said when asked about early comparisons to the Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.
“It is a dream for me, to win this trophy. To lift this amazing trophy, I said it before, for me this is the most beautiful tournament, the most beautiful court and the most beautiful trophy.”
It is important to note that there was a serious doubt over whether Djokovic would even appear at this year’s Wimbledon, having had knee surgery on a torn meniscus just three weeks before the start of the tournament.
He has once again defied the odds not only by recovering in time to take part, but in being able to reach yet another Wimbledon final with hampered movement – his tenth in total.
But, in hindsight, it was never going to be enough against today’s opponent.
Alcaraz has taken his extraordinary young career to unforeseen heights with such a commanding victory.
He is only the sixth man in history to win Roland-Garros and Wimbledon in the same season. At 21 years of age, he already has a fifth of the Grand Slam titles that Federer won in his entire career and has now beaten Djokovic in successive Wimbledon finals, this one with aplomb.
Tennis is no longer witnessing the emergence of a bright new talent. We are witnessing the early years of an all-time great of our sport.
The heights that this young man will go on to reach remains an unknown. But if injury and motivation prove no obstacle, in Carlos Alcaraz we are looking at a player who is surely destined to rewrite even the dazzling records set by the generation that preceded him.
