Alcaraz beats Djokovic in epic Wimbledon final
Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz said it was a “dream come true” to lift the Wimbledon trophy after the world No1 toppled seven-time winner Novak Djokovic in an epic final at the All England Club yesterday.
The 20-year-old top seed beat 36-year-old and 23-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic 1-6 7-6 6-1 3-6 6-4 on a raucous — and, for the Serb — occasionally hostile, Centre Court.
Djokovic was bidding to match Margaret Court’s record of 24 Open Era Slam titles having won the Australian and French Opens this year to become the most decorated male player.
Sensational Alcaraz
But Alcaraz performed superbly in only his 11th top flight grass court contest to beat the pre-match favourite and lift the iconic pineapple-topped golden trophy.
Alcaraz’s win ended a 45-match, 10-year winning streak for Djokovic on Centre Court, the longest run of its kind since it opened in 1922.
“It is a dream come true for me,” he said. “It is great to win but even if I lost I would have been really proud of myself for making history at this beautiful tournament.
“It’s amazing for a boy [like me at] 20 years old. I didn’t expect to reach these stages [of Grand Slams]. I am really proud of myself.”
Acknowledging his opponent, Alcaraz added: “It is amazing to play against him. You inspire me a lot. I have been watching you since I was born, you were already winning tournaments.
“I’ve fallen in love with grass right now. I didn’t expect to play at this level in such a short period. I have played just four tournaments on grass.”
Having backed up a 2022 US Open win with a second Slam, the 20-year-old is expected to head back to Flushing Meadows in the autumn to defend his title.
“I thought I’d only have trouble with you on clay and hard courts but now obviously on grass [too],” Djokovic, who eventually got emotional when seeing his young son in the stands, said of yesterday’s victor.
“You never like to lose but I guess when all of the emotions are settled I need to be grateful because I have won many tight and close matches.
“Maybe I should have lost a couple of finals I won so this is even stevens.
Proud
“I will be [proud] tomorrow morning but today it is a tough one to swallow when you’re so close. These are the moments you work for.
“I have been blessed with so many incredible matches so this is another one in the history books for me. I lost to a better player and I need to move on.”
Alcaraz will net a cool £2.35m for his triumph, up 17.5 per cent on the winnings Djokovic took home last year and more than the Spaniard picked up for his US Open win last year.
Alcaraz will keep his world No1 ranking with his latest title victory.
Elsewhere at Wimbledon, Great Britain celebrated its first Boys’ singles winner as 17-year-old Henry Searle beat Cooper Williams 7-6 6-4. He is Britain’s first winner since Stanley Matthews, son of the legendary footballer, in 1962.